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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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UNITIJ) STATES OF AMERICA. 



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^^^ Autobiography 




OF 



Benjamin 
Franklin 






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BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 



THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

OF 

Benjamin Franklin 



WITH AN 



INTRODUCTION AND NOTES 




PHILADELPHIA 

HENRY ALTEMUS 

1895 



W5 



Copyrighted 1895, by Henry Altemus. 



HENRY ALTEMUS, MANUFACTURBB, 
FHII.AUEi.fUIA. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 

Introduction, . . . . . . . .9 

Franklin and Genealogy of his Family — His Birth — His 
Mother — Employments in his Boyhood — Anecdote 
— Character of his Father— Epitaph of his Father 
and Mother — Fond of Reading — Apprenticed to his 
Brother to learn the Printer's Trade — Writes Bal- 
lads — Intimacy with Collins — Practises Composi- 
tion — Adopts a Vegetable Diet — Studies the So- 
cratic Metliod of Disputation — Concerned in pub- 
lishing a Newspaper — Disagrees with his Brother — 
Leaves Boston and takes Passage in a Sloop for New 
York, 17 

CHAPTER II. 

Journey to Philadelphia — Adventure in a Boat— Dr. 
Brown— Burlington — His first Appearance in Phil- 
adelphia — Quaker Meeting — Seeks for Employment 
as a Printer — Commences Work in Keimer's Office 
— Forms Acquaintances — Patronised by Sir Wil- 
liam Keith, Governor of Pennsylvania — First Inter- 
view with him — Keith proposes to set him up in 
Business — Returns to Boston— His Father disap- 



CONTENTS. 



proves Keith's Plan — Voyage to New York — Inci- 
dent on the Passage from Newport — Meets his Friend 
Collins in New York — They go together to Phila- 
delphia — Collins's ill Conduct causes a Separation — 
Keith insists on executing his original Plan, and 
proposes sending him to London to purchase Types 
— Returns to the use of Animal Food — Anecdotes of 
Keimer — His Associates, Osborne. Watson, Ralph 
— Their Exercises in Composition — Resolves to 
visit England, as advised by Governor Keith, . 52 

CHAPTER in. 

Sails for London, accompanied by Ralph — On his Ar- 
rival delivers Letters supposed to be written by the 
Governor — Discovers that Keith had deceived him 
— His Money exhausted — Engages to work as a 
Printer at Palmer's in Bartholomew Close — Writes 
and prints a metaphysical Tract — Frequents a 
Club, consisting of Dr. Mandeville and others — 
Disagreement with Ralph, and Separation — Re- 
moves to Watt's Printing-house near Lincoln's Inn 
Fields — Habits of the Workmen — His Expenses of 
Living — Feats of Activity in Swimming — Enters 
into Mercantile Business with Mr. Denham — Sir 
William Wyndham 82 

CHAPTER IV. 

Voyage from London to Philadelphia — His Mercantile 
Plans defeated by the Death of Mr. Denham — Ac- 
cepts an Offer from Keimer to superintend his 
Printing Establishment — Description of the Work- 
men in the Printing-house — Resolves to separate 



CONTEH^TS. 5 

PAGE 

from Keimer and commence Business on his own 
Account — Engraves the Plates for Paper Money in 
New Jersey and prints the Bills — His Views of Re- 
ligion — Account of his London Pamphlet — A New 
"Version of the Lord 's Prayer, with Explanatory Re- 
marks — Forms a Partnership with Hugh Meredith 
in the Printing Business, 98 

CHAPTER V. 

The Junto—Description of its original Members — 
Franklin writes the "Busy Body" — Establishes a 
Newspaper — Partnership with Meredith dissolved 
— Writes a Tract on the Necessity of a Paper Cur- 
rency — Opens a Stationer's Shop — His habits of 
Industry and Frugality— Courtship— Marriage, . . 116 

CHAPTER VI. 

Origin of the Philadelphia Library — Mode of obtaining 
Subscriptions — Thrives in his Business — Anecdote 
of the Silver Spoon and China Bowl — Religious 
Sentiments, and Remarks on Preaching — Scheme 
for arriving at Moral Perfection — Explanation of 
the SchemG--Lists of Virtues enumerated, and 
Rules for Practising them — Division of Time and 
the Occupation of each Hoar — Amusing Anecdote 
— The Art of Virtue — A Treatise on that Subject 
proposed, 138 

CHAPTER VII. 

Scheme of a Society for extending the Influence of 
Virtue —Belief in one God, the Immortality of the 



6 CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Soul, and future Rewards and Punishments — Poor 
Richard's Almanac — Rules for conducting a News- 
paper — Controversy concerning Hemphill the 
Preacher — Studies the French, Italian, and Spanish 
Languages — Visits Boston — The Junto— Chosen 
Clerk of the Assembly — Appointed Postmaster of 
Philadelphia — Suggests Improvements in the City 
Watch — Establishes a Fire Company, . . . 164 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Forms an Intimacy with Whitefield — Building erected 
for Preachers of all Denominations — Character of 
Whitefield, his Oratory and Writings — Partner- 
ships in the Printing Business — Proposes a Philo- 
osphical Society — Takes an active Part in provid- 
ing Means of Defence in the Spanish War — Forms 
an Association for that Purpose — Sentiments of 
the Quakers — James Logan — Anecdote of William 
Penn — The Sect called Dunkers — Religious Creeds 
— New-invented Fireplace, 185 

CHAPTER IX. 

Proposals relating to the Education of Youth — Sub- 
scriptions for that Object — An Academy established 
— Appointed one of the Trustees for managing it — 
Partnership with David Hall — Electrical Experi- 
ments — Chosen a Member of the Assembly— A 
Commissioner for making a Treaty with the In- 
dians — Pennsylvania Hospital — Writes in favour 
of it, and procures Subscriptions — Advice to Gil- 
bert Tennent— Suggests Plans for cleaning, paving, 



CONTENTS. 



and lighting the Streets of Philadelphia — Project 
for cleaning the Streets of London — Appointed 
Postmaster-general for America — Receives the De- 
gree of Master of Arts from Harvard and Yale Col- 
leges, 20& 

CHAPTER X. 

Attends a General Convention at Albany, as a Delegate 
from Pennsylvania — Proposes a Plan of Union for 
the Colonies, which is adopted by the convention 
— Interview with Governor Shirley at Boston — Con- 
versations with Governor Morris on Pennsylvania 
Affairs — Assists Mr. Quincy in procuring Aids for 
New England — Visits General Braddock's Army 
in Maryland — Procures Horses and Waggons to 
facilitate the March of the Army — Obtains Supplies 
for the Officers — Character of Braddock — Account 
of his Defeat in the Battle of the Monongahela — 
Braddock commends his Services in Letters to the 
Government — These Services poorly rewarded — So- 
ciety for the Relief and Instruction of Germans 
in Pennsylvania, 230 

CHAPTER XL 

Appointed one of the Commissioners for appropriating 
the Public Money for Military Defence — Proposes 
• a Militia Bill, which passes the Assembly' — Com- 
missioned to take Charge of the Frontier and build 
a Line of Forts — Marches at the Head of a Body 
of Troops — Account of the March — Operations 
at Gnadenhut — Indian Massacres — Moravians at 
Bethlehem — Returns to Philadelphia — Chosen Colo- 



8 CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

nel of a Regiment — Journey to Virginia— Declines 
accepting the Governor's Proposal to lead an Ex- 
pedition against Fort Duquesne — Account of his 
Electrical Discoveries — Chosen a Member of the 
Royal Society — Receives the Copley Medal, . . 253 

CHAPTER XII. 

Conversations with Governor Denny — Disputes be- 
tween the Governor and Assembly — Deputed by the 
Assembly to present a Petition to the King and to 
act in England as an Agent for Pennsylvania — 
Meets Lord Loudoun in New York — Anecdotes 
illustrating his Character — Sails from New York — 
Incidents of the Voyage — Arrives in England, . . 273 



INTRODUCTION. 



The ensuing Autobiography finishes in the year 
1757, with the arrival of Franklin in England, 
whither he was sent by the Assembly of Pennsylvania 
to insist upon the rights of the province to tax the 
proprietors of the land still held under the Penn 
charter for their share of the cost of defending it 
from hostile Indians and others. In this mission he 
was completely successful. Indeed, his services were 
found to be so valuable that he was appointed agent 
also for the provinces of Massachusetts, Maryland, 
and Georgia. While in England he was honoured with 
the degree of Doctor of Laws by the universities of 
Oxford, Edinburgh, and St. Andrews. He was also 
made an iVssociate of the Academy of Paris. 

These honours were granted chiefly on account of 
his contributions to the advancement of electrical 
science, as described, though briefly, in the following 
pages. These important researches in electricity 
were commenced in 1746, and in the course of a few 
years gave him rank amongst the most illustrious 



10 INTRODUCTION. 

natural philosophers. He exhibited in a more dis- 
tinct manner than had hitherto been done the theory 
of positive and negative electricity by means of his 
"well-known experiment with a kite. He demon- 
strated also that lightning and electricity are identi- 
cal ; and it was he who first suggested the lightning- 
rod as a means of protecting buildings. 

In 1762 Franklin returned to America; but two 
years afterwards he was again sent to England — this 
time to contest the pretensions of Parliament to tax 
the American colonies without representation. The 
obnoxious Stamp Act was threatened, and he was ex- 
amined before the House of Commons in regard 
thereto. The act was passed— to be repealed, however, 
in the following year. Meanwhile the differences 
between the British government and the colonies in 
regard to the prerogatives of the Crown and the 
powers of Parliament became more and more grave 
in consequence of the home government still claiming 
the right to tax. The dispute quickly grew from 
bad to worse, and in 1773 officers sent to New Eng- 
land were resisted in the performance of their duty. 
To such a pass did matters now speedily come that 
in 1775 Franklin decided, as well from patriotic mo- 
tives as from a regard to his personal safety, to re- 
turn to America. He was immediately elected a 
delegate to the congress convened by the thirteen 
provinces or states to concert measures for their com- 



INTRODUCTION. 11 

mon defence, and which at once declared in favour 
of dissolving the political connection with Great 
Britain. 

Franklin soon became one of the most active men 
in the contest between England and the Colonies, 
which resulted in the declaration of independence, 
July 4, 1776, and in the establishment of what has 
since been known as the Kepublic of the United 
States. Towards the end of 1776 he was sent as spe- 
cial envoy to France to negotiate a treaty of alliance. 
His fame as a philosopher and statesman had already 
preceded him, and he was received with every mark 
of consideration and respect. His mission to France 
was successful, and in February, 1778, he signed a 
treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, between 
France and the United States. This produced war 
between England and France, which lasted for sev- 
eral years. However, in September, 1783, the British 
government recognized the independence of the 
United States, and Franklin signed the treaty of 
peace between the mother country and her revolted 
colonies. 

He continued to discharge the duties of minister 
plenipotentiary to France until 1785, when, in con- 
sequence of his advancing age and infirmities, he was 
relieved of the post at his own request. Reaching 
Philadelphia in September of that year, he -was 
elected almost immediately president of the State of 



13 INTRODUCTION. 

Pennsylvania. To this office he was twice unani- 
mously re-elected. During the period of his service 
as president he was sent as a delegate from his state 
to the convention which framed the constitution of 
the United States. In 1788, that is, at the end of 
his third term as president of the Supreme Council, 
Franklin retired into private life, after having spent 
upwards of forty years in the public service of his 
country. He died at Philadelphia, full of years and 
honours, at the age of eighty-four, on the 17th of 
April, 1790. 

After his death a general mourning of two months 
was ordered by Congress as a tribute to the memory 
of one who had done so much by his wisdom and his 
activity in establishing the Eepublic. 

In addition to his political, miscellaneous, and 
philosophical compositions, Franklin wrote several 
papers in the American Transactions., and two vol- 
umes of Essays, all of which have been carefully col- 
lected and edited. In all his writings is evidenced 
his wonderful gift of shrewd common-sense and prac- 
tical wisdom. These are seen from end to end of his 
Autobiogra,phy. His " weather eye" is always open — 
upon himself as well as upon others; and while he 
neither deceives himself nor allows others to deceive 
him, so he takes care not to deceive his readers. He 
tells us that he sets some things down out of vanity, 
and that though his pride may be scotched, it cannot 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

be killed. He holds, indeed, that these qualities 
are right in their place; but he tries to keep them in 
their true place and subjection. His revelation of 
himself is a very frank one — almost the frankest that 
has ever been written ; and it is full of wise hints 
for those who know how to take them. Goethe wrote 
Ms life, but he called it "Truth and Poetry" (Wahr- 
heit unci Dichtung)^ and Renan tells us that when men 
write their lives it is mostly poetry they set down. 
Franklin seems to have written only the truth, leav- 
ing out the poetry; and yet there is not wanting a 
line and even a grand thread of poetry running 
through that active and ever-striving life, that began 
as a printer's boy and ended as one of the foremost 
makers of a nation, who, despite his political occu- 
pations, ranked also among the* leading philosophical 
and scientific men of his time. 

Not the least remarkable point in Franklin's 
career is the fact that, notwithstanding the scientific 
eminence he attained, he was able to devote but seven 
or eight years in all to his scientific researches before 
his talents were required in the more active sphere 
of politics. Yet in that time he not only made his 
famous electrical discoveries, but instituted those 
researches into the course of storms across the Amer- 
ican continent which mark an epoch in the science 
of meteorology, and have greatly aided in the devel- 
opment of land and ocean telegraphy. His name is 



14 INTRODUCTION. 

also connected with our knowledge of the course of 
the most important characteristics of the Gulf 
Stream. He likewise gave much time to the inquiry 
as to the diverse powers of different colours to absorb 
solar heat, and arrived at many important results. 

Not the least of his many services to mankind was 
the practical wisdom which, during the time that 
he was a printer and the publisher of a newspaper, 
he was forever throwing broadcast amongst the poor 
colonists, pointing out the way to wealth and inde- 
pendence, and thus doing much towards making 
them what they soon became, a patient, persevering, 
and self-reliant people. His essays in the Pennsyl- 
vania Gazette are mines of wealth in this respect. 
The following, taken from an article entitled "Nec- 
essary hints to those who would be rich," will serve 
as a specimen of his prudential counsels: 

" The use of money is all the advantage there is in 
having money. 

"For six pounds a year you may have the use of 
one hundred pounds, provided you are a man of 
known prudence and honesty. 

" He that spends a groat a day idly, spends idly 
about six pounds a year, which is the price for the 
use of one hundred pounds. 

" He that wastes idly a groat's worth of his time 
per day, one day with another, wastes the privilege 
of using one hundred pounds each day. 



INTRODUCTION. 15 

"He that idly loses five shillings' worth of time 
loses five shillings, and might as prudently throw five 
shillings into the sea. 

"He that loses five shillings, not only loses that 
sum, but all the advantages that might be made by 
turning it in dealing, which, by the time that a 
young man becomes old, will amount to a considera- 
ble sum of money." 

This may be, and has been characterized by some 
as, very worldly wisdom ; but as Franklin himself has 
pointed out, it is a wisdom that lies necessarily at the 
root of much that is better and higher. It exhibits, 
moreover, only one phase of that general and practi- 
cal wisdom with which he viewed every department 
of life, from the lowest to the highest. 

Reference is made in the Autobiography to one 
or two of Franklin's inventions, but nothing is said 
of the debt we owe to him in respect to the har- 
monica or musical glasses. He possessed considera- 
ble skill in music; and if he did not actually invent, 
he so far improved the harmonica as to develop it 
from a toy into an available instrument of music. 

Franklin began to write the following account of 
his life in the form of a letter to his son, the Gov- 
ernor of New Jersey, in 1771, when on a visit to his 
friend, Dr. Jonathan Shipley, Bishop of St. Asaph. 
At this time he brought the Autobiography down to 
the period of his marriage. Nothing more was added 



16 / INTRODUCTION. 

until 1784, when he wrote another chapter while 
living at Passy. The remainder was written some 
four years later, at which time he had returned to 
Philadelphia, and was eighty-two years old. 

While Franklin was in France as United States 
minister, he showed a copy of his Autobiography to 
some of his friends there, one of whom, M. Le 
Veillard, translated it into French. Shortly after 
Franklin's death this translation was published in 
France. It was then retranslated into English' and 
appeared in London, and was for a long time accepted 
both in England and the United States as though it 
were the author's original work. Finally, however, 
the Autobiography was published by Franklin's 
grandson, William Temple Franklin, from the orig- 
inal manuscript, and it is from this copy, edited by 
Jared Sparks, that the present edition has been pre- 
pared. 



THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

OF 

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 



OHAPTEE I. 

FIRST START IX LIFE. 

I HAVE ever had a pleasure in obtaining any little 
anecdotes of my ancestors. You may remember the 
inquiries I made among the remains of my relations 
when you were with me in England, and the journey 
I undertook for that purpose. Imagining it may be 
equally agreeable to you to learn the circumstances 
of my life, many of which you are acquainted with, 
and expecting the enjoyment of a few weeks' unin- 
terrupted leisure, I sit down to write them. Besides, 
there are some other inducements that excite me to 
this undertaking. From the poverty and obscurity in 
which I was born, and in which I passed my earliest 
years, I have raised myself to a state of affluence and 
some degree of celebrity in the world. As constant 
2 



18 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

good fortune has accompanied me even to an ad- 
vanced period of life, my posterity will perhaps be 
desirous of learning the means which I employed, and 
which, thanks to Providence, so well succeeded with 
me. They may also deem them fit to be imitated, 
should any of them find themselves in similar cir- 
cumstances. 

This good fortune, when I reflect on it (which is 
frequently the case), has induced me sometimes to 
say that, if it were left to my choice, I should have 
no objection to go over the same life from its begin- 
ning to the end, requesting only the advantage au- 
thors have of correcting in a second edition the faults 
of the first. So would I also wish to change some 
incidents of it for others more favorable. ' Notwith- 
standing, if this condition was denied, I should still 
accept the offer of recommencing the same life. But 
as this repetition is not to be expected, that which 
resembles most living one's life over again seems to 
be to recall all the circumstances of it, and, to render 
this remembrance more durable, to record them in 
writing. 

In thus employing myself, I shall yield to the in- 
clination so natural to old men, of talking of them- 
selves and their own actions; and I shall indulge it 
without being tiresome to those who, from respect to 
my age, might conceive themselves obliged to listen 
to me, since they will be always free to read me or 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 19 

not. And, lastly (I may as well confess it, as the 
denial of it would be believed by nobody), I shall, 
perhaps, not a little gratify my own vanity. Indeed, 
I never heard or saw the introductory words, " With- 
out vanity I may say," etc., but some vain thing im- 
mediately followed. Most people dislike vanity in 
others, whatever share they have of it themselves; 
but I give it fair quarter wherever I meet with it, 
being persuaded that it is often productive of good to 
the possessor, and to others who are within his sphere 
of action; and therefore, in many cases, it would not 
be altogether absurd if a man were to thank God for 
his vanity among the other comforts of life. 

And now I speak of thanking God, I desire, with 
all humility, to acknowledge that I attribute the 
mentioned happiness of my past life to His divine 
providence, which led me to the means I used, and 
gave the success. My belief of this induces me to 
hope, though I must not inesume, that the same 
goodness will still be exercised towards me in contin- 
uing that happiness, or enabling me to bear a fatal 
reverse, which I may experience as others have done; 
the complexion of my future fortune being known 
to Him only in whose power it is to bless us, even 
in our afflictions. 

Some notes, which one of my uncles, who had the 
same curiosity in collecting family anecdotes, once 
put into my hands, furnished me with several partic- 



30 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ulars relative to our ancestors. From these notes I 
learned that they lived in the same village, Ecton, 
in Northamptonshire, on a freehold of about thirty 
acres, for at least three hundred years, and how much 
longer could not be ascertained.* 

This small estate would not have sufficed for their 
maintenance without tlie business of a smith, which 
had continued in the family down to my uncle's 
time, the eldest son being always brought up to that 
employment; a custom which he and my father fol- 
lowed with regard to their eldest sons. When I 
searched the registers at Ecton, I found an account 
of their marriages and burials from the year 1555 
only, as the registers kept did not commence previ- 
ous thereto. I, however, learned from it that I was 
the youngest son of the youngest son for five genera- 

* Perhaps from the time, when the name of Franklin, 
which before was the name of an order of people, was as- 
sumed by them for a surname, when others took surnames 
all over the kingdom. 

As a proof that Franklin was anciently the common 
name of an order or rank in England, see Judge Fortescue, 
De laudibiis Legum Anglia, written about the year 1412. in 
which is the following passage, to show that good juries 
might easily be formed in any part of England — 

" Moreover, the same country is so filled and replenished 
with landed menne, that therein so small a Thorpe cannot 
be found wherein dwelleth not a knight, an esquire, or such 
a liouseholder, as is there commonly called a Franklin, 
enriched with great possessions; and also other freehold- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 21 

tions back. My grandfather, Thomas, who was born 
in 1598, lived at Ecton till he was too old to con- 
tinue his business, when he retired to Banbury, in 
Oxfordshire, to the house of his son John, with 
whom my father served an apprenticeship. There 
I my uncle died, and lies buried. We saw his grave- 
stone in 1758. His eldest son Thomas lived in the 
house at Ecton, and left it, with the land, to his only 
daughter, who, with her husband, one Fisher, of 
Wellingborough, sold it to Mr. Isted, now lord of 
the manor there. My grandfather had four sons, 
who grew up; viz., Thomas, John, Benjamin, and 
Josiah. Being at a distance from my papers, I will 
give you what account I can of them from memory; 

ers, and many yeomen able for their livelihoods to make 
a jury in form aforementioned." — Old Translation. 

Chaucer, too, calls his Country Gentleman a Franklin, 
and, after describing his good housekeeping, thus charac- 
terizes him — 

"This worthy Franklin bore a purse of silk, 
Fixed to his girdle, white as morning milk. 
Knight of the Shire, first Justice at th' Assize, 
To help the poor, the doubtful to advise. 
In all employments, generous, just, he proved ; 
Renowned for courtesy, by all beloved. " 
Again — 

" A spacious court they see. 

But plain and pleasant to be walked in 
Where them does meet a Franklin fair and free." 
Spenser's Faery Queen. 



22 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

and if my papers are not lost in my absence, you will 
find among them many more particulars. 

Thomas, my eldest uncle, was bred a smith under 
his father, but, being ingenious, and encouraged in 
learning, as all his brothers were, by an Esquire 
Palmer, then the principal inhabitant of that parish, 
he qualified himself for the bar, and became a con- 
siderable man in the county; was chief mover of all 
public-spirited enterprises for the county or town of 
Northampton, as well as of his own village, of which 
many instances were related of him; and he was 
much taken notice of and patronized by Lord Hali- 
fax. He died in 1702, the 6th of January, four 
years, to a day, before I was born. The recital which 
some elderly persons made to us of his character, I 
remember struck you as something extraordinary, 
from its similarity with what you knew of me. 
"Had he died," said you, "four years later, on the 
same day, one might have supposed a transmigration." 

John, my next uncle, was bred a dyer, I believe of 
wool. Benjamin was bred a silk dyer, serving an 
apprenticeship in London. He Avas an ingenious 
man. I remember, when I was a boy, he came to 
my father's in Boston, and resided^jn the house with 
us for several years. There was always a particular 
affection between my father and him, and I was liis 
godson. He lived to a great age. He left behind 
him two quarto volumes of manuscript, of his own 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 23 

poetry, consisting of fugitive pieces addressed to his 
friends. He had invented a shorthand of his own, 
which he taught me; but, not having practised it, I 
have now forgotten it. He was very pious, and an 
assiduous attendant at the sermons of the best 
preachers, which he reduced to writing according 
to his method, and had thus collected several vol- 
umes of them. 

He was also a good deal of a politician ; too much 
so, perhaps, for his station. There fell lately into 
my hands, in London, a collection he had made of 
all the principal political pamphlets relating to pub- 
lic affairs, from the year 1641 to 1717. Many of the 
volumes are wanting, as apjpears by their numbering; 
but there still remain eight volumes in folio, and 
twenty in quarto and in octavo. A dealer in old 
books had met with them, and, knowing me byname, 
I having bought books of him, he brought them to 
me. It would appear that my uncle must have left 
them here, when he went to America, which was 
about fifty years ago. I found several of his notes in 
the margins. His grandson, Samuel Franklin, is 
still living in Boston.* 

*This grandson of Ben jamin Franklin followed the trade 
of his father, which was that of a cutler. On the father's 
sign, suspended over the shop door, was painted a crown, 
with his name, "Samuel Franklin, from London." It had 
also some of the implements of his trade. This sign was 



24 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Our humble family early embraced the reformed 
religion. Our forefathers continued Protestants 
through the reign of Mary, when they were some- 
times in danger of persecution, on account of their 
zeal against popery. They had an English Bible, 
and to conceal it and place it in safety, it was fast- 
ened open with tapes, under and within the cover of 
a joint stool. When my great-grandfather wished to 
read it to his family, he placed the joint stool on his 
knees, and then turned over the leaves under the 
tapes. One of the children stood at the door to 
give notice if he saw the apparitor coming, who was 
an officer of the spiritual court. In that case the 
stool was turned down again upon its feet, when the 
Bible remained concealed under it as before. This 
anecdote I had from uncle Benjamin. The family 
continued all of the church of England till about the 
end of Charles the Second's reign, when some of 
the ministers that had been outed for their non- 
retained by Samuel FrankliD the younger. At the begin- 
ning of the Revolution, the "Sons of Liberty" took offence 
at this crown, and demanded the removal of the sign ; but 
they finally contented themselves with daubing a coat of 
paint over the crown, leaving "Samuel Franklin, from 
London," and the implements of cutlery. Time gradually 
wore off the paint from the crown, so as to make it faintly 
visible ; and Mather Byles, who was noted for his loyalty 
as for his puns, used to lament to Mrs. Franklin, that she 
should live at the sign of the half-crown. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 25 

conformity, holding conventicles in Northampton- 
shire, my uncle Benjamin, and my father, Josiah, 
adhered to them, and so continued all their lives. 
The rest of the family remained with the Episcoi3al 
church. 

My father married_.yjiu^g, and carried his wife, 
with tliree children, to New England, about 1685. 
The conventicles being at that time forbidden by 
law, and frequently disturbed in the meetings, some 
considerable men of his acquaintances determined to 
go to that country, and he was prevailed with to ac- 
company them thither, where they expected to enjoy 
the exercise of their religion with freedom. By the 
same wife my father had four children more born 
there, and by a second, ten others — in all seventeen; 
of whom I remember to have' seen thirteen sitting to- 
gether at his table; who all grew up to years of ma- 
turity, and were married. I was the youngest son, 
and the youngest of all the children except two 
daughters. I was born in Boston, in New England. "* 

*He was born January 6th, 1706, Old Style, being Sun- 
day, and the same as January 17th, New Style, which 
his biographers have usually mentioned as the day of his 
birth. By the records of tlie Old South Church in Boston, 
to which his father and mother belonged, it appears that 
he was baptized the same day. In the old public Register 
of Births, still preserved in the Mayor's office in Boston, 
his birth is recorded under the date of January 6th, 1706. 
At this time liis fatlier occupied a house in Milk Street, 



26 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

My mother, the second wife of my father, was Abiab 
Folger, daughter of Peter Folger, one of the first 
settlers of New England; of whom honourable men- 
tion is made by Cotton Mather, in his ecclesiastical 
history of that country, entitled Magnalia Cliristi 
Americana, Si% "a godly and learned Englishman," 
if I remember the words rightly. I was informed he 
wrote several small occasional works, but only one of 
them was printed, which I remember to have seen 
several years since. It w^as written in 1675. It was 
in familiar verse, according to the taste of the times 
and people; and addressed to the government there. 
-lilt asserts the liberty of conscience in behalf of the 
Anabaptists, the Quakers, and other sectaries, that, 
had been persecuted. He attributes to this persecu- 
tion the Indian wars, and other calamities that had 
befallen the country; regarding them as so many 
judgments of God to punish so heinous an offence, 
and exhorting the repeal of those laws, so contrary 
to charity. This piece appeared to me as written 
with manly freedom, and a pleasing simplicity. The 
six last lines I remember, but have forgotten the 
preceding ones of the stanza; the purport of 
them was, that his censures proceeded from good- 

opposite to the Old South Church, but lie removed shortly 
afterwards to a house at the corner of Hanover and Union 
Streets, where it is believed he resided the remainder of 
his life, and where the son passed his early years. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 27 

will, and therefore he would he known to be the 
author : 

" Because to be a libeller 

I hate it with my heart. 
From Sherbon Town* where now I dwell, 

My name I do jDut here ; 
Without offence your real friend, 

It is Peter Folger."f 

My elder brothers were all put apprentices to dif- 
ferent trades. I was put to the grammar-school at 
eight years of age; my father intending to devote me, 
as the tithe of his sons, to the service of the church. 
My early readiness in learning to read, which must 

* In the island of Nantucket. 

t The poem, if such it may be called, of which these 
are the closing lines, extends through fourteen pages of 
a duodecimo pamphlet, entitled, ""A Looking-Glass for 
the Times ; or the former Spirit of Neiv England revived 
in this generation ; by Peter Folger. " It is dated at the 
end, "April 23rd, 1676." The lines which immediately 
precede those quoted by Dr. Franklin, and which are nec- 
essary to complete the sentiment intended to be conveyed 
by the author, are the following : — 

" I am for peace and not for war. 
And that's the reason why 
I write more plain than some men do. 

That use to daub and lie. 
But I shall cease, and set my name 

To what I here insert. 
Because to be a libeller," &c. 



28 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

have been very early, as I do not remember when I 
could not read, and the opinion of all his friends that 
1 should certainly make a good scholar, encouraged 
him in this purpose of his. My uncle Benjamin, too, 
approved of it, and proposed to give me his short- 
hand volumes of sermons, to set up with, if I would 
learn his shorthand. I continued, however, at the 
grammar-school rather less than a year, though in that 
time I had risen gradually from the middle of the 
class of that year to be at the head of the same class, 
and was removed into the next class, whence I was to 
be placed in the third at the end of the year. 

But my father, burdened with a numerous family, 
was unable, without inconvenience, to support the 
expense of a college education. Considering, m.ore- 
over, as he said to one of his friends, in my presence, 
the little encouragement that line of life afforded to 
those educated for it, he gave up his first intentions, 
took me from the grammar-school, and sent me to a 
school for writing and arithmetic, kejot by a then 
famous man, Mr. George Brownwell. He was a skil- 
ful master, and successful in his profession, employ- 
ing the niildest and most encouraging methods. 
Under him I learned to write a good hand pretty 
soon; but I failed entirely in arithmetic. At ten 
years old I was taken to help my father in his busi- 
ness, which was that of a tallow-chandler and soap- 
boiler; a business to which he was not bred, but had 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 29 

assumed on his arrival in New England, because he 
found that his dyeing trade, being in little request, 
would not maintain his family. Accordingly, I was 
employed in cutting wicks for the candles, filling the 
moulds for cast candles, attending the shop, going 
of errands, etc. 

I disliked the trade, and had a strong inclination 
to go to sea; but my father declared against it. But, 
residing near the water, 1 was much in it and on it. 
I learned to swim well and to manage boats; and, 
when embarked with other boys, I was commonly al- 
lowed to govern, especially in any case of difficulty; 
and upon other occasions I was generally the leader 
among the boys, and sometimes led them into scrapes, 
of which I will mention one instance, as it shows an 
early projecting public spirit, though not then justly 
conducted. There was a salt marsh, which bounded 
part of the mill-pond, on the edge of which, at high 
water, we used to stand to fish for minnows. By 
much trampling we had made it a mere quagmire. 
My proposal was to build a wharf there for ns to stand 
npon, and I showed my comrades a large heap of 
stones, which were intended for a new house near the 
marsh, and which would very well suit our purpose. 
Accordingly in the evening, when the workmen were 
gone home, I assembled a number of my play-fel- 
lows, and we worked diligently like so many emmets, 
sometimes two or three to a stone, till we brought 



30 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

them all to make our little wharf. The next morn- 
ing the workmen were surprised at missing the stones, 
which had formed our wharf. Inquiry was made 
after the authors of this transfer; we were discovered, 
complained of and corrected by our fathers; and, 
though I demonstrated the utility of our work, mine 
convinced me, that that which was not honest, could 
not be truly useful. 

/J suppose you may like to know what kind of a 
man my father was. He had an excellent constitu- 
tion, was of a middle stature, well set, and very 
strong. He could draw prettily, and was skilled a 
little in music. His voice was sonorous and agreea- 
ble, so that when he played on his violin, and sung 
withal, as he was accustomed to do after the business 
of the day was over, it was extremely agreeable to 
hear. He had some knowledge of mechanics, and on 
occasion was very handy with other tradesmen's tools. 
But his great excellence was his sound understanding, 
and his solid judgment in prudential matters, both 
in private and public affairs. It is true he was never 
employed in the latter, the numerous family he had 
to educate, and tlie straitness of his circumstances, 
keeping him close to his trade; but I remember well 
his being frequently visited by leading men, who 
consulted him for his opinion in public affairs, and 
those of the church he belonged to ; and who showed 
a great respect for his judgment and advice. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 31 

He was also much consulted by private persons 
about their affairs, when finy difficulty occurred, and 
frequently chosen an arbitrator between contending 
parties. At his table he liked to have, as often as he 
could, some sensible friend or neighbour to converse 
with, and always took care to start some ingenious or 
useful topic for discourse, which might tend to im- 
prove the minds of his children. By this means he 
turned our attention to what was good, just, and pru- 
dent, in the conduct of life; and little or no notice 
was ever taken of what related to the victuals on the 
table; whether it was well or ill-dressed, in or out of 
season, of good or bad flavour, preferable or inferior 
to this or that other thing of the kind ; so that I was 
brought up in such a perfect inattention to those 
matters as to be quite indifferent what kind of food 
was set before me. Indeed, I am so unobservant of 
it, that to this day I can scarce tell a few hours after 
dinner of what dishes it consisted. This has been a 
great convenience to me in travelling, where my com- 
panions have been sometimes very unhappy for want 
of a suitable gratification of their more delicate, be- 
' cause better instructed, tastes and appetites. 

My mother had likewise an excellent constitution; 
she suckled all her ten children. I never knew either 
my father or mother to have any sickness, but that 
of which they died; he at eighty-nine, and she at 
eighty-five years of age. They lie buried together at 



32 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Boston, where I some years since placed a marble 
over their grave, with this inscription: 

JOSIAH FRA.NKLIN 

and 

ABIAH his wife, 

Lie here interred. 

They lived lovinglj^ together in wedlock, 

Fifty -five years ; 

And without an estate or anj^ gainful employment, 

But constant labour, and iionest industrN^ 

(With God's blessing,) 

Maintained a large family comfortably ; 

And brought up thirteen children and seven grandchildren 

Reputably. 

From this instance, Reader, 

Be encouraged to diligence in thy calling. 

And distrust not Providence. 

He was a pious and prudent man, 

She a discreet and virtuous woman. 

Their youngest son. 

In filial regard to their memory, 

Places this stone. 

J. F. born 1655; died 1744. ^t. 89. 

A. F. born 1667 ; died 1752. .^t. 85.* 

* The marble stone on which this inscription was en- 
graved, having become decayed, and the inscription itself 
defaced by time, a more durable monument has been erected 
over the graves of the father and mother of Franklin. The 
suggestion was first made at a meeting of the building 
committee of the Bunker Hill Monument Association, in 
the autumn of 1826, and it met with universal approbation. 
A committee of management was organized, and an amount 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 33 

By my rambling digressions, I perceive myself to 
be grown old. I used to write more methodically. 

of money adequate to the object was soon contributed by 
the voluntary subscriptions of a large number of the citi- 
zens of Boston. The corner-stone was laid on the 15th of 
June, 1827, and an address appropriate to the occasion was 
pronounced by General Henry A. S. Dearborn. 

The monument is an obelisk of granite, twenty-one feet 
high, which rests on a square base, measuring seven feet 
on each side, and two feet in height. The obelisk is com- 
posed of five massive blocks of granite placed one above 
another. On one side is the name of Franklin in large 
bronze letters, and a little below is a tablet of bronze, thirty- 
two inches long and sixteen wide, sunk into the stone. On 
this tablet is engraved Dr. Franklin's original inscription, 
as quoted in the text, and beneath it are the following 
lines : — 

The marble tablet, 

Bearing the above inscription. 

Having been dilapidated by the ravages of time, 

A number of citizens. 

Entertaining the most profound veneration 

For the memory of the illustrious 

Benjamin Franklin, 

And desirous of reminding succeeding generations, 

That he was born in Boston, A. D. MDCCVI, 

Erected this 

Obelisk 

Over the graves of his parents. 

MDCCCXXVII. 

A silverplate was deposited under the corner-stone, with 
an inscription commemorative of the occasion ; a part of 
3 



34 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

But one does not dress for private company, as for a 
public ball. Perhaps it is only negligence. 

To return: I continued thus employed in my 
father's business for two years, that is, till I was 
twelve years old ; and, my brother John, who was 
bred to that business, having left my father, married, 
and set up for himself at Ehode Island, there was 
every appearance that I was destined to supply his 
place, and become a tallow-chandler. But my dislike 
to the trade continuing, my father had apprehen- 
sions that, if he did not put me to one more agree- 
able, I should break loose and go to sea, as my 
brother Josiah had done, to his great vexation. In 
consequence, he took me to walk with him and see 
joiners, bricklayers, turners, braziers, etc., at their 
work, that he might observe my inclination, and en- 
deavour to fix it on some trade or profession that 
would keep me on land. It has ever since been a 
pleasure to me to see good workmen handle their 
tools. And it has been often useful to me, to have 
learned so much by it, as to be able to do some tri- 
fling jobs in the house, when a workman was not at 

which is as follows : " This Monument was erected over the 
Remains of the Parents of Benjamin Franklin by the Citi- 
zens of Boston, from Respect to the Private Character and 
Public Services of this Illustrious Patriot and Philosopher, 
and for the many Tokens of his affectionate Attachment 
to his native Town. " 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 35 

hand, and to construct little machines for my experi- 
ments, at the moment when the intention of making 
these was warm in my mind. My father determined 
at last for the cutler's trade, and placed me for some 
days on trial with Samuel, son to my uncle Benjamin, 
who was bred to that trade in London, and had just 
established himself in Boston. But the sum he ex- 
acted as a fee for my apprenticeship displeased my 
father, and I was taken home again. 

From my infancy I was passionately fond of read- 
ing, and all the money that came into my hands was 
laid out in the purchasing of books. I was very fond 
of voyages. My first acquisition was Bunyan's works 
in separate little volumes; I afterwards sold them to 
enable me to buy Burton's Historical Collections. 
They were small chapmen's books,* and cheap; forty 
volumes in all. My father's little library consisted 
chiefly of books in polemic divinity, most of which I 
read. I have often regretted that, at a time when 
I had such a thirst for knowledge, more proper books 
had not fallen in my way, since it was resolved I 
should not be bred to divinity. There was among 

* Commonly called "chap-books, " a term applied to pop- 
ular story-books, which in former days nsed to be hawked 
about by chapmen, such as Tom Hickathrift, Jack the Giant 
Killer, &c. Burton's Histories were of rather a better 
class, and comprised Tlie English Hero: or, Sir Francis 
Drake Revived ; Admirable Curiosities, &c. , &c. 



36 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

them Plutarch's Lives^ which I read abundantly, and 
I still think that time spent to great advantage. 
There was also a book of Defoe's, called A71 Essay on 
Projects^ and another of Dr. JMath-r's, called An 
Essay to do Good^ which perhaps gave me a turn of 
thinking, that had an influence on some of the prin- 
cipal future events of my life. 

This bookish inclination at length determined my 
father to make me a printer, though he had already 
one son, James, of that profession. In 1717 my 
brother James returned from England with a press 
and letters to set up his business in Boston. I liked 
it much better than that of my father, but still had a 
hankering for the sea. To prevent the apprehended 
effect of such an inclination, my father was impatient 
to have me bound to my brother. I stood out some 
time, but at last was persuaded, and signed the in- 
denture, when I was yet but twelve years old. I was 
to serve an apprenticeship till I was twenty-one years 
of age, only I was to be allowed journeyman's wages 
during the last year. In a little time I made a great 
progress in the business, and became a useful hand to 
my brother. I now had access to better books. An 
acquaintance with the apprentices of booksellers en- 
abled me sometimes to borrow a small one, which I 
was careful to return soon, and clean. Often I sat up 
in my chamber reading the greatest part of the night, 
when the book was borrowed in the evening and to be 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 37 

returned in the morning, lest it should be found 
missing. 

After some time a merchant — an ingenious, sensi- 
ble man, Mr. Matthew Adams, who had a pretty col- 
lection of books — frequented our printing-office, took 
notice of me, and invited me to see his library, and 
very kindly proposed to lend me such books as I chose 
to read. I now took a strong inclination for poetry, 
and wrote some little pieces. My brother, supposing 
it might turn to account, encouraged me, and in- 
duced me to compose two occasional ballads. One 
was called The Light-House Tragedy., and contained 
an account of the shipwreck of Captain Worthilake 
with his two daughters; the other was a sailors' song, 
on the taking of the famous Teach., or Blackheard.^ 
the pirate. They were wretched stuff, in street- 
ballad style; and Avhen they were printed, my brother 
sent me about the town to sell them. The first sold 
prodigiously, the event being recent, and having 
made a great noise. This success flattered my vanity; 
but my father discouraged me by criticizing my per- 
formances, and telling me verse-makers were generally 
beggars. Thus I escaped being a poet, and probably 
a very bad one; but, as prose writing has been of 
great use to me in the course. of my life, and was a 
principal means of my advancement, I shall tell you 
how in such a situation I acquired what little ability 
1 may be supposed to have in that way. 



38 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

There was another bookish lad in the town, John 
Collins by name, with whom I was intimately ac- 
quainted. We sometimes disputed, and very fond 
we were of argument, and very desirous of confuting 
one another — which disputatious turn, by the way, 
is apt to become a very bad habit, making people 
often extremely disagreeable in company, by the con- 
tradiction that is necessary to bring it into practice; 
and thence, besides souring and spoiling the conver- 
sation, it is productive of disgusts, and perhaps en- 
mities, with those who may have occasion for friend- 
ship. I had caught this by reading my father's 
books of dispute on religion. Persons of good sense, 
I have since observed, seldom fall into it, except law- 
yers, university men, and generally men of all sorts, 
who have been bred at Edinburgh. 

A question was once, somehow or other, started 
between Collins and me on the propriety of educating 
the female sex in learning, and their abilities for 
study. He was of opinion that it was improper, and 
that they were naturally unequal to it. I took the 
contrary side, perhaps a little for dispute's sake. He 
was naturally more eloquent, having a greater plenty 
of words, and sometimes, as I thought, I was van- 
quished more by his fluency than by the strength of 
his reasons. As we parted without settling the point, 
and were not to see one another again for some time, 
I sat down to put my arguments in writing, which I 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 39 

copied fair and sent to him. He answered and I re- 
plied. Three or four letters on a side had passed, 
when my father happened to find my papers, and read 
them. Without entering into the subject in dispute, 
he took occasion to talk to me about my manner of 
writing; observed that though I had the advantage 
of my antagonist in correct spelling and pointing 
(which he attributed to the printing-house), I fell far 
short in elegance of expression, in method, and in 
perspicuity, of which he convinced me by several in- 
stances. I saw the justice of his remarks, and thence 
grew more attentive to my manner of writing, and 
determined to endeavour to improve my style. 

About this time I met with an odd volume of the 
Spectator. I had never before seen any of them. I 
bought it, read it over and over, and was much de- 
lighted with it. I thought the writing excellent, and 
wished if possible to imitate it. With that view I 
took some of the papers, and, making short hints of 
the sentiments in each sentence, laid them by a few 
days, and then, without looking at the book, tried to 
complete the papers again, by expressing each hinted 
sentiment at length, and as fully as it had been ex- 
pressed before, in any suitable words that should 
occur to me. Then I compared my Spectator with 
the original, discovered some of my faults, and cor- 
rected them. But I found I wanted a stock of words, 
or a readiness in collecting and using them, which I 



40 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

thought I should have acquired before that time, if 
I had gone on making verses; since the continual 
search for words of the same import, hut of different 
length to suit the measure, or of different sound for 
the rhyme, would have laid me nnder a constant 
necessity of searching for variety, and also have 
tended to fix that variety in my mind, and make me 
master of it. Therefore 1 took some of the tales in 
the Spectator^ and turned them into verse; and, after 
a time, when I had pretty well forgotten the prose, 
turned them back again. 

I also sometimes jumbled my collection of hints 
into confusion, and after some weeks endeavoured to 
reduce them into the best order before I began to 
form the full sentences and complete the subject. 
This was to teach me method in the arrangement of 
the thoughts. By comparing my work with the orig- 
inal, I discovered many faults, and corrected them; 
but I sometimes had the pleasure to fancy that, in 
certain particulars of small consequence, I had been 
fortunate enough to improve the method or the lan- 
guage, and this encouraged me to think that I might 
in time come to be a tolerable English writer, of 
which I was extremely ambitious. The time I al- 
lotted for writing exercises, and for reading, was at 
night, or before work began in the morning, or on 
Sundays, Avhen I contrived to be in the printing- 
house, avoiding as much as I could the constant at- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 41 

tendance at public worship, which my father used to 
exact of me when I was under his care, and which I 
still continued to consider a duty, though I could 
not alford time to practise it. 

When about sixteen years of age, I happened to 
meet with a book, written by one Tryon, recom- 
mending a vegetable diet. I determined to go into 
it. My brother, being yet unmarried, did not keep 
house, but boarded himself and his apprentices in 
another family. My refusal to eat flesh occasioned 
an inconvenience, and I was frequently chid for my 
singularity. I made myself acquainted with Tryon 's 
manner of preparing some of his dishes, such as 
boiling potatoes or rice, making hasty pudding and a 
few others, and then proposed to my brother that, if 
he would give me weekly half the money he paid for 
my board, I would board myself. He instantly 
agreed to it, and I presently found that I could save 
half what he paid me. This was an additional fund 
for buying of books ; but I had another advantage in 
it. My brother and the rest going from the printing- 
house to their meals, I remained there alone, and 
despatching presently my light repast (which was 
often no more than a biscuit, or a slice of bread, 
a handful of raisins, or a tart from the pastry-cook's, 
and a glass of water), had the rest of the time, till 
their return, for study; in which I made the greater 
progress from that greater clearness of head and 



42 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

quicker apprehension which generally attend temper- 
ance in eating and drinking. Now it was that (being 
on some occasion made ashamed of my ignorance in 
figures, which I had twice failed learning when at 
school), I took Cocker's book on Arithmetic, and 
went through the whole by myself with the greatest 
ease. I also read Seller's and Shermy's books on 
JVavigatiofi, which made me acquainted with the 
little geometry they contain ; but I never proceeded 
far in that science. I read about this time Locke 
O71 Human Under standi7ig, and The Art of Thinking 
by Messrs. de Port-Eoyal. 

While I was intent on improving my language, I 
met with an English grammar (I think it was Green- 
wood's), having at the end of it two little sketches 
on the Arts of Ehetoric and Logic, the latter finish- 
ing with a dispute in the Socratic method ; and soon 
after I procured Xenophon's Memorable Things of 
Socrates, wherein there are many examples of the 
same method. I was charmed with it, adopted it, 
dropped my abrupt contradictions and positive argu- 
mentation, and put on the humble inquirer. And 
being then from reading Shaftesbury and Collins 
made a doubter, as I already was in many points of 
our religious doctrines, I found this method the 
safest for myself and very embarrassing to those 
against whom I used it; therefore I took delight in 
it, practised it continually, and grew very artful and 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 43 

expert in drawing people even of superior knowledge 
into concessions, the consequences of which they did 
not foresee, entangling them in difficulties out of 
which they could not extricate themselves, and so 
obtaining victories that neither myself nor my cause 
always deserved. 

I continued this method some few years, but grad- 
ually left it, retaining only the habit of expressing 
myself in terms of modest diffidence, never using, 
when I advance anything that may possibly be dis- 
puted, the words certainly., undoubtedly^ or any others 
that give the air of positiveness to an opinion ; but 
rather say, / conceive^ or ajp^reliend^ a thing to be so 
and so ; It cqjpears to me., or I should not tliinlc it, so or 
so., for such and such reasons ; or, / imagine it to he 
so j^ or It is so, if I am 7iot mistaken. This habit, 
I believe, has been of great advantage to me when I 
have had occasion to inculcate my opinions and per- 
suade men into measures that I have been from time 
to time engaged in promoting. And as the chief 
ends of conversation are to inform or to he informed^ 
to please or to persuade, I wish well-meaning and 
sensible men would not lessen their power of doing 
good by a positive assuming manner, that seldom 
fails to disgust, tends to create opposition, and to de- 
feat most of those purposes for which speech was 
given to us. In fact, if you wish to instruct others, 
a positive dogmatical manner in advancing your sen- 



44 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

timents may occasion opposition, and prevent a can- 
did attention. If yon desire instruction and improve- 
ment from others, you should not at the same time 
express yourself, fixed in your present opinions. 
Modest and sensible men, who do not love disj^uta- 
tion, will leave you undisturbed in the possession of 
yonr errors. In adopting such a manner, you can 
seldom expect to please your hearers, or obtain the 
concurrence you desire. Pope judiciously observes, — 

" Men must be taught, as if you taught them not, 
And things unknown proposed as things forgot." 

He also recommends it to us, 

"To speak, though sure, with seeming diflSdence." 

And he might have joined with this line, that whigh 
he has coupled with another, I think, less properly, 

"For want of modesty is want of sense." 

If you ask, Why less properly? I must repeat the 
lines, 

"Immodest words admit of no defence. 
For want of modesty is want of sense." 

Now, is not the ivant of sense, where a man is so un- 
fortunate as to want it, some apology for his want 
of modesty f And would not the lines stand more 
justly thus? 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 45 

"Immodest words admit hut this defence, 
That want of modesty is want of sense". 

This, however, I should submit to better judgments. 

My brother had, in 1720 or 1721, begun to print 
a newspaper. It was the second that appeared in 
America, and was called the Neiu England Courant. 
The only one before it was the Boston News- Letter. 
I remember his being dissuaded by some of his 
friends from the undertaking, as not likely to suc- 
ceed, one newspaper being in their judgment enough 
for America.* At this time, 1771, there are not 
less than iive-and-twenty. He went on, however, 
with the undertaking. I was employed to carry the 
papers to the customers, after having worked in com- 
posing the types and printing off the sheets. 

* This was written from recollection, and it is not sur- 
prising, that, after the lapse of fifty years, the author's 
memory should have failed him in regard to a fact of 
small importance. The New England Courant was the 
fourth newspaper that appeared in America. The first 
number of the Boston News-Letter was published April 
24th, 1704. This was the first newspaper in America. 
The Boston Gazette commenced December 21st, 1719; the 
American Weekly Mercury, at Philadelphia, December 
22nd, 1719; i\\Q Neio England Courant, August 21st, 1721. 
Dr. Franklin's error of memory probably originated in the 
circumstance of his brother having been the printer of the 
Boston Gazette when it was first established. This was 
the second newspaper published in America. 



46 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

He had some ingenious men among his friends, 
who amused themselves by writing little pieces for 
this paper, which gained it credit, and made it more 
in demand, and these gentlemen often visited us. 
Hearing their conversations, and their accounts of 
the approbation their papers were received with, I 
was excited to try my hand among them. But, being 
still a boy, and suspecting that my brother would ob- 
ject to printing anything of mine in his paper, if he 
knew it to be mine, I contrived to disguise my hand, 
and, writing an anonymous paper, I put it at night 
under the door of the printing-house. It was found 
in the morning, and communicated to his writing 
friends when they called in as usual. They read it, 
commented on it in my hearing, and I had the ex- 
quisite pleasure of finding it met with their ajiproba- 
tion, and that, in their different guesses of the 
autlior, none were named but men of some character 
among us for learning and ingenuity. I suppose, 
that I was rather lucky in my judges, and that they 
were not really so very good as I then believed them 
to be. Encouraged, however, by this attempt, I 
wrote and sent in the same way to the press several 
other pieces, that were equally approved; and I kept 
my secret till all my fund of sense for such perform- 
ances was exhausted, and then discovered it, when I 
began to be considered a little more by my brother's 
acquaintance. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 47 

However, that did not quite please him, as he 
thought it tended to make me too vain. This might 
be one occasion of the differences we began to have 
about this time. Though a brother, he considered 
himself as my master, and me as his apprentice, and 
accordingly expected the same services from me as he 
would from another, while I thought he degraded me 
too much in some he required of me, who from a 
brother expected more indulgence. Our disputes 
were often brought before our father, and I fancy I 
was either generally in the right, or else a better 
pleader, because the judgment was generally in my 
favour. But my brother was passionate, and had 
often beaten me, which I took extremely amiss; and, 
thinking my apprenticeship very tedious, I was con- 
tinually wishing for some opportunity of shortening 
it, which at length offered in a manner unexpected. 
Perhaps this harsh and tyrannical treament of me 
might be a means of impressing me with the aversion 
to arbitrary power, that has stuck to me through my 
whole life. 

One of the pieces in our newspaper on some politi- 
cal point, which I have now forgotten, gave offence 
to the Assembly. He was taken up, censured, and 
imprisoned for a month by the Speaker's warrant, I 
suppose because he would not discover the author. I 
too was taken up and examined before the Council; 
but, though I did not give them any satisfaction, 



48 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

they contented themselves with admonishing me, and 
dismissed me, considering me perhaps as an appren- 
tice, who was bound to keep his master's secrets. 
During my brother's confinement, which I resented a 
good deal notwithstanding our private differences, I 
had the management of the paper; and I made bold 
to give onr rulers some rnbs in it, which my brother 
took very kindly, while others began to consider nie 
in an unfavourable light, as a youth that had a turn 
for libelling and satire. 

My brother's discharge was accompanied with an 
order, and a very odd one, " James Frmiklin should 
no longer print the newspaper called The New Eng- 
land Courant.'' On a consultation held in our print- 
ing-office amongst his friends, what he should do in 
this conjuncture, it was proposed to elude the order 
by changing the name of the paper. But my 
brother, seeing inconveniences in this, came to a con- 
clusion, as a better way, to let the paper in future 
be printed in the name of Benjamin Franhlin ; and 
in order to avoid the censure of the Assembly, that 
might fall on him, as still printing it by his appren- 
tice, he contrived and consented that my old inden- 
ture should be returned to me with a discharge on 
the back of it, to show in casa of necessity; and, in 
order to secure to him the benefit of my service, I 
should sign new indentures for the remainder of my 
time, which were to be kept private. A very flimsy 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 49 

scheme it was; however, it was immediately executed, 
and the paper was printed accordingly, under my 
name, for several months.* 

At length, a fresh difference arising between my 
brother and me, I took upon me to assert my free- 

*The earlier numbers of the New England Coiirant were 
principally filled with original articles, in tlie form of 
essays, letters, and short paragraphs, written with consider- 
able ability" and wit, and touching with great freedom the 
vices and follies of the time. The weapon of satire was used 
with an unsparing hand. Neither the government nor the 
clergy escaped. Much caution was practised, however, 
in regard to individuals, and names were seldom intro- 
duced. There are some severe and humorous criticisms 
on the poets of the day, which may be classed with the 
best specimens of this kind of composition in the modern 
reviews. The humour sometimes degenerates into coarse- 
ness, and the phraseology is often harsh ; but, bating these 
faults, the paper contains nothing which in later times 
would have been deemed reprehensible. James Franklin, 
the editor and printer, was imprisoned on the general 
charge of having published passages "boldly reflecting 
on his Majesty's government and on the administration 
in this province, the ministry, churches, and college ; 
and that tend to fill the readers' minds with vanity, to the 
dishonour of God and the disservice of good men. '' He was 
sentenced by a vote of the Assembly, without any speci- 
fication of these offensive passages, or any trial before a 
court of justice. 

This was probably the first transaction, in the American 
Colonies, relating to the freedom of the press ; and it is not 
less remarkable for the assumption of power on the part of 
4 



50 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

dom ; presuming that he would not venture to pro- 
duce the new indentures. It was not fair in me to 
take this advantage, and this I therefore reckon one 

the legislature, than for their disregard of the first prin- 
ciples and established forms of law. 

No change took place in the character of the paper, and 
six months afterwards, January, 1723, he was again ar- 
raigned upon a similar charge. The resentment of the 
ruling powers, stimulated by the clergy, had been gaining 
heat during the whole time, and now pushed them to more 
arbitrary measures. They condescended, however, to 
specify a particular article, as affording the grouud of their 
proceedings. This was an essay on Hypocrisy, in which 
hypocrites of various descriptions were roughly handled, 
but no individual or class of men was mentioned. The 
most objectionable paragraphs in this essay are the follow- 
ing :— 

" Religion is indeed the principal thing, but too much of 
it is worse than none at all. The world abounds with 
knaves and villains ; but, of all knaves, the religious knave 
is the worst, and villanies acted under the cloak of religion 
the most execrable. Moral honesty, though it will not it- 
self carry a man to heaven, yet I am sure there is no going 
thither without it. " 

"But are there such men as these in thee, O New Eng- 
land? Heaven forbid there should be any ; but, alas ! it la 
to be feared the number is not small. ' Give me an honest 
Tnan, ' say some, 'for all a religious man;' a distinction 
which, I confess, I never heard of before. The whole coun- 
try suffers for the villanies of a few such wolves in sheep's 
clothing, and we are all represented as a pack of knaves 
and hypocrites for their sakes." 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 51 

of the first errata of my life ; but the unfairness of it 
weighed little with me when under the impressions 
of resentment for the blows his passion too often 
urged him to bestow upon me. Though he was 
otherwise not an ill-natured man ; perhaps I was too 
saucy and provoking. 

When he found I would leave him, he took care to 
prevent my getting employment in any other printing- 
house of the town, by going round and speaking to 
every master, who accordingly refused to give me 
work. I then thought of going to New York, as the 
nearest place where there was a printer. And I was 
rather inclined to leave Boston, when 1 reflected that 
I had already made myself a little obnoxious to the 
governing party, and, from the arbitrary proceedings 
of the x\ssembly in my brother's case, it was likely I 
might, if I stayed, soon bring myself into scrapes; and 
further, that my indiscreet disputations about relig- 
ion began to make me pointed at with horror by good 
people, as an infidel and atheist. I concluded, there- 
fore, to remove to New York; but my father now 
siding with my brother, I was sensible that, if I at- 
tempted to go openly, means would be used to pre- 
vent me. My friend Collins, therefore, undertook 
to manage my flight. He agreed with the captain of 
a New York sloop to take me, under a false pretence. 
I sold my books to raise a little money, was taken on 
board the sloop privately, had a fair wind, and in 



52 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

three days found myself at New York, near three 
hundred miles from my home, at the age of seventeen 
(October, 1723), without the least recommendation, 
or knowledge of any person in the place, and very 
little money in my pocket. 



CHAPTER 11. 

AT WORK IJ^ PHILADELPHIA. 

The inclination I had had for the sea was by this 
time done away, or I might now have gratified it. 
But having another profession, and conceiving my- 
self a pretty good workman, I offered my services to 
a printer of the place, old Mr. William Bradford, 
who had been the first printer in Pennsylvania, but 
had removed thence, in conseqnence of a quarrel with 
the governor, George Keith. He could give me no 
employment, having little to do, and hands enough 
already; but he said, " My son at Philadelphia has 
lately lost his principal hand, Aquila Eose, by death; 
if yon go thither, I believe he may employ you." 
Philadelphia was one hundred miles further; I set 
out, however, in a boat for Amboy, leaving my chest 
and things to follow me round by sea. 

In crossing the bay, we met with a squall that tore 
our rotten sails to pieces, prevented our getting into 
the Kill, and drove us upon Long Island. In our 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 53 

way, a drunken Dutchman, who was a passenger too, 
fell overboard; when he was sinking, 1 reached 
through the water to his shock pate, and drew him 
up, so that we got him in again. His ducking so- 
bered him a little, and he went to sleep, taking first 
out of his pocket a book, which he desired I would 
dry for him. It proved to be my old favourite au- 
thor, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress^ in Dutch, finely 
printed on good paper, copper cuts, a dress better 
than I had ever seen it wear in its own language. I 
have since found that it had been translated into most 
of the languages of Europe, and I suppose it has been 
more generally read than any other book, except per- 
haps the Bible. Honest John was the first that I 
know of who mixed narration and dialogue; a method 
of writing very engaging to the reader, who in the 
most interesting part finds himself, as it were, ad- 
mitted into the company and present at the conversa- 
tion. Defoe has imitated him successfully in his 
Robinson Crusoe, in his Moll Flanders, and other 
pieces; and Richardson has done the same in his 
Pamela, &c. 

On approaching the island, we found it was in a 
place where there could be no landing, there being a 
great surge on the stony beach. So we dropped an- 
chor, and swung out our cable toward the shore. 
Some people came down to the shore and hallooed to 
us, as we did to them; but the wind was so high, and 



54 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

the surge so loud, that we could not understand each 
other. There were some small boats near the shore, 
and we made signs, and called to tliem to fetch us; 
but they either did not comprehend us, or it was im- 
practicable, so they went off. Night approaching, 
we had no remedy but to have patience till the wind 
abated; and in the meantime the boatmen and my- 
self concluded to sleep, if we could ; and so we 
crowded into the hatches, where we joined the Dutch- 
man, who was still wet, and the spray, breaking over 
the head of our boat, leaked through to us, so that 
we were soon almost as wet as he. In this manner 
we lay all night, with very little rest; but, the wind 
abating the next day, we made a shift to reach Amboy 
before night; having been thirty hours on the water, 
without victuals, or any drink but a bottle of filthy 
rum ; the water we sailed on being salt. 

In the evening I found myself very feverish, and 
went to bed ; but, having read somewhere that cold 
water drank plentifully was good for a fever, I fol- 
lowed the prescription, and sweat plentifully most of 
the night. My fever left me, and in the morning, 
crossing the ferry, I proceeded on my journey on 
foot, having fifty miles to go to Burlington, where I 
was told I should find boats that would carry me the 
rest of the way to Philadelphia. 

It rained very hard all the day ; I was thoroughly 
soaked, and by noon a good deal tired; so I stopped 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 55 

at a poor inn, wliere I stayed all night; beginning 
now to wish I had never left home. I made so mis- 
erable a figure, too, that I found, by the' questions 
asked me, I was suspected to be some runaway inden- 
tured servant, and in danger of being taken up on 
that suspicion. However, I proceeded next day, and 
got in the evening to an inn, within eight or ten 
miles of Burlington, kept by one Dr. Brown. He 
entered into conversation with me while I took some 
refreshment, and, finding I had read a little, became 
very obliging and friendly. Our acquaintance con- 
tinued all the rest of his life. He had been, I imag- 
ine, an ambulatory quack doctor, for there was no 
town in England, nor any country in Europe, of 
which he could not give a very particular account. 
He had some letters, and was ingenious, but he was 
an infidel, and wickedly undertook, some years after, 
to turn the Bible into doggerel verse, as Cotton had 
formerly done with Virgil. By this means he set 
many facts in a ridiculous light, and might have done 
mischief with weak minds, if his work had been pub- 
lished; but it never was. 

At his house I lay that night, and arrived the next 
morning at Burlington ; but had the mortification to 
find that the regular boats were gone a little before, 
and no other expected to go before Tuesday, this be- 
ing Saturday. Wherefore I returned to an old wo- 
man in the town, of whom I had bought some gin- 



56 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

gerbread to eat on the water, and asked her advice. 
She proposed to lodge me, till a passage by some 
other boat occurred. I accepted her oiTer, being 
much fatigued by travelling on foot. Understand- 
ing I was a printer, she would have had me remain 
in that town and follow my business; being ignorant 
what stock was necessary to begin with. She was. 
hospitable, gave me a dinner of ox-cheek with great 
good-will; and I thought myself fixed till Tuesday 
should come. However, walking in the evening by 
the side of the river, a boat came by, which I found 
was going toward Philadelphia with several people in 
her. They took me in, and as there was no wind, we 
rowed all the way; and about midnight, not having 
yet seen the city, some of the compauy were confi- 
dent we must have passed it, and would row no fur- 
ther; the others knew not where we were, so we put 
toward the shore, got into a creek, landed near an 
old fence, with the rails of which we made a fire, 
the night being cold, in October, and there we re- 
mained till daylight. Then one of the company 
knew the place to be Cooper's Creek, a little above 
Philadelphia, which we saw as soon as we got out of 
the creek, and arrived there about eight or nine 
o'clock on the Sunday morning, and landed at Mar- 
ket-street wharf. 

1 have been the more particnlar in this description 
of my journey, and shall be so of my first entry into 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 57 

that city, that you may in your mind compare such 
unlikely beginnings with the figure I have since made 
there. I was in my working dress, my best clothes 
coming round by sea. I was dirty from my being so 
long in the boat. My pockets were stuffed out with 
sliirts and stockings, and I knew no one, nor where 
to look for lodging. Fatigued with walking, row- 
ing, and the want of sleep, I was very hungry; and 
my whole stock of cash consisted in a single dollar, 
and about a shilling in copper coin, which I gave to 
the boatmen for my passage. At first they refused 
it, on account of my having rowed; but I insisted on 
their taking it. Man is sometimes more generous 
when he has little money than when he has plenty; 
perhaps to prevent his being thought to have but little. 
I walked toward the top of the street, gazing about 
till near Market Street, where I met a boy with 
bread. I had often made a meal of dry bread, and, 
inquiring where he had bought it, I went immedi- 
ately to the baker's he directed me to. I asked for 
biscuits, meaning such as we had at Boston; that 
sort, it seems, was not made in Philadelphia. I then 
asked for a threepenny loaf, and was told they had 
none. Not knowing the different prices, nor the 
names of the different sorts of bread, I told him to 
give me threepenny worth of any sort. He gave me 
accordingly three great puffy rolls. I was surprised 
at the quantity, but took it, and, having no room in 



58 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

my pockets, walked off with a roll under each arm, 
and eating the other. Thus I went up Market Street 
as far as Fourth Street, passing by the door of Mr. 
Eead, my future wife's father; when she, standing at 
the door, saw me, and thought I made, as I certainly 
did, a most awkward, ridiculous appearance. Then 
I turned, and went down Chestnut Street and part of 
Walnut Street, eating my roll all the way; and, com- 
ing round, found myself again at Market-street 
wharf, near the boat I came in, to which I went for 
a draught of the river water; and, being filled with 
one of my rolls, gave the other two to a woman and 
her child that came down the river in the boat with 
us, and were waiting to go farther. 

Thus refreshed, I walked again up the street, 
which, by this time, had many clean-dressed people 
in it, who were all walking the same way. I joined 
them, and thereby was led into the great meeting- 
house of the Quakers, near the market. I sat down 
among them, and, after looking round a while, and 
hearing nothing said, being very drowsy through 
labour and want of rest the preceding night, I fell 
fast asleep, and continued so till the meeting broke 
up, when some one was kind enough to rouse me. 
This, therefore, was the first house I was in, or slept 
in, in Philadelphia. 

I then walked down toward the river, and, looking 
in the faces of every one, I met a young Quaker man, 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 59 

whose countenance pleased me; and, accosting him, 
requested he would tell me where a stranger could 
get a lodging. We were then near the sign of the 
Three Mariners. " Here," said he, " is a house where 
they receive strangers; but it is not a reputable one; 
if thee wilt walk with me, I'll show thee a better 
one;" and he conducted me to the Crooked Billet, in 
Water Street. There I got a dinner; and while I 
was eating, several questions were asked me as, from 
my youth and appearance, I was suspected of being a 
runaway. 

After dinner, my host having shown me to a bed, 
I laid myself on it without undressing, and, slept till 
six in the evening, when I was called to supper. I 
went to bed again very early, and slept very soundly 
till next morning. Then I dressed myself as neat as 
I could, and went to Andrew Bradford, the printer's. 
I found in the shop the old man his father, whom I 
had seen at New York, and who, travelling on horse- 
back, had got to Philadelphia before me. He intro- 
duced me to his- son, who received me civilly, gave 
me a breakfast, but told me he did not at present 
want a hand, being lately supplied with one; but 
there was another printer in town, lately set up, one 
Keimer, who perhaps might employ me; if not, I 
should be welcome to lodge at his house, and he 
would give me a little work to do now and then, till 
fuller business should offer. 



60 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

The old gentleman said he would go with me to the 
new printer; and when we found him, "Neighbour," 
said Bradford, " I have brought to see you a young 
man of your business; perhaps you may want such a 
one." He asked me a few questions, put a compos- 
ing stick in my hand to see how I worked, and then 
said he would employ me soon, though he had just 
then nothing for me to do. And taking old Brad- 
ford, whom he had never seen before, to be one of the 
town's-people that had a good-will for him, entered 
into a conversation on his present undertaking and 
prospects; while Bradford, not discovering that he 
was the other printer's father, on Keimer's saying he 
expected soon to get the greatest part of the business 
into his own hands, drew him on, by artful ques- 
tions, and starting little doubts, to explain all his 
views, what influence he relied on, and in what man- 
ner he intended to proceed. I, who stood by and 
heard all, saw immediately that one was a crafty old 
sophister, and the other a true novice. Bradford 
left me with Keimer, who was greatly surprised when 
I told him who the old man was. 

The printing-house, I found, consisted of an old, 
damaged press, and a small, worn-out fount of Eng- 
lish types, which he was using himself, composing an 
Elegy on Aquila Rose, before mentioned; an ingeni- 
ous young man, of excellent character, much respected 
in the town, secretary to the Assembly, and a pretty 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 61 

poet. Keimer made verses too, but very indiffer- 
ently. He could not be said to write them, for his 
method was to compose them in the types directly 
out of his head. There being no copy, but one pair 
of cases, and the Elegy probably requiring all the let- 
ters, no one could help him. I endeavoured to put 
his press (which he had not yet used, and of which 
he understood nothing) into order to be worked with; 
and, promising to come and print off his Elegy, as 
soon as he should have got it ready, I returned to 
Bradford's, who gave me a little job to do for the 
present, and there I lodged and dieted. A few days 
after, Keimer sent for me to print oif the Elegy. 
And now he had got another pair of cases, and a 
pamphlet to reprint, on which he set me to work. 

These two printers I found poorly qualified for 
their business. Bradford had not been bred to it, 
and was very illiterate; and Keimer, though some- 
thing of a scholar, was a mere compositor, knowing 
nothing of presswork. He had been one of the 
French prophets, and could act their enthusiastic 
agitations. At this time he did not profess any par- 
ticular religion, but something of all on occasion; 
was very ignorant of the world, and had, as I after- 
wards found, a good deal of the knave in his compo- 
sition. He did not like my lodging at Bradford's 
while I worked with him. He had a house, indeed, 
but without furniture, so he could not lodge me; but 



62 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

he got me a lodging at Mr. Read's before mentioned, 
who was the owner of his house; and, my chest of 
clothes being come by this time, 1 made rather a 
more respectable appearance in the eyes of Miss Eead 
than I had done when she first happened to see me 
eating my roll in the street. 

I began now to have some acquaintance among the 
young people of the town that were lovers of reading, 
with whom I spent my evenings very pleasantly ; and 
gained money by my industry and frugality. I lived 
very contented, and forgot Boston as much as I could, 
and did not wish any should know where I resided 
except my friend Collins, who was in the secret, and 
kept it faithfully. At length, however, an incident 
happened that occasioned my return home much 
sooner than I had intended. I had a brother-in-law, 
Eobert Holmes, master of a. sloop that traded between 
Boston and Delaware. He being at Newcastle, forty 
miles below Philadelphia, and hearing of me, wrote 
me a letter mentioning the grief of my relations and 
friends in Boston at my abrupt departure, assuring 
me of their good-will to me, and that everything 
would be accommodated to my mind if I would re- 
turn ; to which he entreated me earnestly. I wrote 
an answer to his letter, thanked him for his advice, 
but stated my reasons for quitting Boston so fully and 
in such a light as to convince him that I was not so 
much in the wrong as he had apprehended. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 63 

Sir William Keith, Governor ol" the province, was 
then at Newcastle, and Captain Holmes, happening 
to be in company with him when my letter came to 
hand, spoke to him of me, and showed him the let- 
ter. The Governor read it, and seemed surprised 
when he was told my age. He said I appeared a 
young man of promising parts, and therefore should 
be encouraged; the printers at Philadelphia were 
wretched ones; and, if I would set up there, he made 
no doubt I should succeed; for his part he would 
procure me the public business, and do me every 
other service in his power. This my brother-in-law 
Holmes afterwards told me in Boston; but I knew as 
yet nothing of it; when one day Keimer and T, being 
at work together near the window, we saw the Gover- 
nor and another gentleman (who proved to be Col- 
onel French, of Newcastle, in the province of Dela- 
ware), finely dressed, come directly across the street 
to our house, and heard them at the door. 

Keimer ran down immediately, thinking it a visit 
to him; but the Governor inquired for me, came up, 
and with a condescension and politeness I had been 
quite unused to, made me many compliments, desired 
to be acquainted w-ith me, blamed me kindly for not 
having made myself known to him when I first came 
to the place, and would have me away with him to 
the tavern, where he was going with Colonel French 
to taste, as he said, some excellent Madeira. I was 



64 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

not a little surprised, and Keimer stared with aston- 
ishment. I went, however, with the Governor and 
Colonel French to a tavern, at the corner of Third 
Street, and he proposed my setting up my business. 
He stated the probabilities of my success, and both he 
and Colonel French assured me I should have their 
interest and influence to obtain for me the public 
business of both governments. And as I expressed 
doubts that my father would assist me in it. Sir AVil- 
liam said he would give me a letter to him, in which 
he would set forth the advantages, and he did not 
doubt he should determine him to comply. So it was 
concluded I should return to Boston by the first ves- 
sel, with the Governor's letter to my father. In the 
meantime it was to be kept a secret, and I went on 
working with Keimer as usual. The Governor sent 
for me now and then to dine with him, which 1 con- 
sidered a great honour; more particularly as he con- 
versed with me in a most affable, familiar, and 
friendly manner. 

About the 6nd of April, 1724, a little vessel offered 
for Boston. I took leave of Keimer, as going to see 
my friends. The Governor gave me an ample letter, 
saying many flattering things of me to my father, and 
strongly recommending the project of my setting up 
at Philadelphia, as a thing that would make my for- 
tune. We struck on a shoal in going down the bay, 
and sprung a leak ; we had a blustering time at sea, 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 65 

and were obliged to pump almost continually, at 
which I took my turn. We arrived safe, however, at 
Boston in about a fortnight. I had been absent 
seven months, and my friends had heard nothing of 
me; for my brother Holmes was not j^et returned, 
and had not written about me. My unexpected ap- 
pearance surprised the family; all were, however, 
very glad to see me, and made me welcome, except 
my brother. I went to see him at his printing- 
house. 1 was better dressed than ever while in his 
service, having a genteel new suit from head to foot, 
a watch, and my pockets lined with near five pounds 
sterling in silver. He received me not very frankly, 
looked me all over, and tarned to his work again. 

The journeymen were inquisitive where I had been, 
what sort of a country it was, and how I liked it. I 
praised it much, and the happy life I led in it, ex- 
pressing strongly my intention of returning to it; 
and, one of them asking what kind of money we had 
there, I produced a handful of silver and spread it 
before them, which was a kind of raree-shotv they had 
not been used to, paper being the money of Boston. 
Then I took an opportunity of letting them see my 
watch ; and lastly (my brother still grum and sullen) 
gave them a dollar, and took my leave. This visit 
of mine offended him extremely. For, when my 
mother some time after spoke to him of a reconcilia- 
tion, and of her wish to see us on good terms together, 
5 



66 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

and that we might live for the future as brothers, he 
said, I had insulted him in such a manner before his 
people that he could never forget or forgive it. In 
this, however, he was mistaken. 

My father received the Governor's letter with some 
surprise, but said little of it to me for some time. 
Captain Holmes returning, he showed it to him, and 
asked him if he knew Sir William Keith, and what 
kind of a man he was; adding that he must be of 
small discretion to think of setting a youth up in 
business who wanted three years to arrive at man's 
estate. Holmes said what he could in favour of the 
project, but my father was decidedly against it, and 
at last gave a flat denial. He wrote a civil letter to 
Sir William, thanking him for the patronage he had 
so kindly offered me, and declined to assist me as yet 
in setting up, I being in his opinion too young to be 
trusted with the management of an undertaking so 
important, and for which the preparation required a 
considerable expenditure. 

My old companion Collins, who was a clerk in the 
post-office, pleased with the account I gave him of 
my new country, determined to go thither also; and, 
while I waited for my father's determ.ination, he set 
out before me by land to Ehode Island, leading his 
books, which were a pretty collection in mathematics 
and natural philosophy, to come with mine and me 
to New York, where he proposed to wait for me. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 67 

My father, though he did not approve Sir Wil- 
liam's proposition, was yet pleased that I had been 
able to obtain so advantageous a character from a 
person of such note where I had resided, and that I 
had been so industrious and careful as to equip my- 
self so handsomely in so short a time; therefore, see- 
ing no prospect of an accommodation between my 
brother and me, he gave his consent to my returning 
again to Philadelphia, advised me to behave respect- 
fully to the people there, endeavour to obtain the 
general esteem, and avoid lampooning and libelling, 
to which he thought I had too much inclination; 
telling me, that by steady industry and prudent par- 
simony, I might save enough by the time I was one- 
and-twenty to set me up ; and that if I came near the 
matter he would help me out with the rest. This 
was all I could obtain, except some small gifts as 
tokens of his and my mother's love, when I embarked 
again for New York ; now with their approbation and 
their blessing. 

The sloop putting in at Newport, Rhode Island, 
I visited my brother John, who had been married and 
settled there some years. He received me very affec- 
tionately, for he always loved me. A friend of his, 
one Vernon, having some money due to him in Penn- 
sylvania, about thirty-five pounds currenc}', desired I 
would recover it for him, and keep it till I had his 
directions what to employ it in. Accordingly he 



68 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

gave me an order to receive it. This business after- 
wards occasioned me a good deal of uneasiness. 

At Newport we took in a number of passengers, 
amongst whom were two young women travelling 
together, and a sensible, matron-like Quaker lady, 
with her servants. I had shown an obliging disposi- 
tion to render her some little services, which probably 
impressed her with sentiments of good-will toward 
me; for, when she witnessed the daily growiug famil- 
iarity between the young women and myself, which 
they appeared to encourage, she took me aside and 
said, " Young man, I am concerned for thee, as thou 
hast no friend with thee, and seem'st not to know 
much of the world, or of the snares youth is exposed 
to. Depend upon it, these are very bad women ; I 
can see it by all their actions; and if thou art not 
upon thy guard, they will draw thee into some dan- 
ger. They are strangers to thee, and I advise thee, 
in a friendly concern for thy welfare, to have no ac- 
quaintance with them." As I seemed at first not to 
think so ill of them as she did, she mentioned some 
things she had observed and heard, that had escaped 
my notice, but now convinced me she was right. I 
thanked her for her kind advice, and promised to 
follow it. When we arrived at New York they told 
me where they lived, and invited me to come and see 
them, but I avoided it, and it was well I did ; for the 
next day the captain missed a silver spoon and some 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 69 

other things, that had been taken out of his cabin, 
and, knowing what they were, he got a warrant to 
search their lodgings, found the stolen goods and had 
the thieves punished. So though we had escaped a 
sunken rock, which we scraped upon in the passage, 
I thought this escape of rather more importance to 
me. 

At New York I found my friend Collins, who had 
arrived there some time before me. We had been in- 
timate from children, and had read the same books 
together; but he had the advantage of more time for 
reading and studying, and a wonderful genius for 
mathem-atical learning, in which he far outstripped 
me. While I lived in Boston, most of my hours of 
leisure for conversation were spent with him, and he 
continued a sober as well as industrious lad; was 
much respected for his learning by several of the 
clergy and other gentlemen, and seemed to promise 
making a good figure in life. But, during my ab- 
sence he had acquired a habit of drinking brandy, 
and I found by his own account, as well as that of 
others, that he had been drunk every day since his 
arrival at New York, and behaved himself in a very 
extravagant manner. He had gamed too and lost his 
money, so that I was obliged to discharge his lodg- 
ings, and defray his expenses on the road and at 
Philadelphia, which proved a great burden to me. 

The then Governor of New York, Burnet (son of 



70 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Bishop Burnet), hearing from the captain that one 
of the passengers had a great many books on board, 
desired him to bring me to see him. I waited on 
him, and should have taken Collins with me had he 
been sober. The Governor received me with great 
civility, showed me his library, which was a consid- 
erable one, and we had a good deal of conversation 
relative to books and authors. This was the second 
Governor who had done me the honour to take notice 
of me, and, for a poor boy like me, it was very 
pleasing. 

We proceeded to Philadelphia. I received in the 
way Vernon's money, without which we could hardly 
have finished our journey. Collins wished to be em- 
ployed in some counting-house; but, whether they 
discovered his dram-drinking by his breath or by his 
behaviour, though he had some recommendations, he 
met with no success in any application, and contin- 
ued lodging and boarding at the same house with me, 
and at my expense. Knowing I had that money of 
Vernon's, he was continually borrowing of me, still 
promising repayment as soon- as he should be in busi- 
ness. At length he had got so much of it, that I 
was distressed to think what I should do in case of 
being called on to remit it. 

His drinking continued, about which we sometimes 
quarrelled, for when a little intoxicated he was very 
irritable. Once in a boat on the Delaware with some 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 71 

other young men, he refused to row in his turn. " I 
will be rowed home," said he. "We will not row 
yon," said I. "You must," said he, "or stay all 
night on the water, just as you please." The others 
said, " Let us row, what signifies it!" But, my mind 
being soured with his other conduct, I continued to 
refuse. So he said he would make me row or throw 
me overboard, and coming along stepping on the 
thwarts towards me; when he came up and struck at 
me, I clapped my hand under his thigh, and, rising, 
pitched him head-foremost into the river. I knew 
he was a good swimmer, and so was under little con- 
cern about him; but before he could get round to lay 
hold of the boat, we had with a few strokes pulled 
her out of his reach; and whenever he drew near the 
boat, we asked him if he would row, striking a few 
strokes to slide her away from him. He was ready to 
stifle with vexation, and obstinately would not prom- 
ise to row. Finding him at last beginning to tire we 
drew him into the boat, and brought him home drip- 
ping wet. We hardly exchanged a civil word after 
this adventure. At length a West India captain, 
who had a commission to procure a preceptor for the 
sons of a gentleman at Barbadoes, met with him, and 
proposed to carry him thither to fill that situation. 
He accepted, and promised to remit me what he owed 
me out of the first money he should receive, but I 
never heard of him after. 



72 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

The violation of my trust respecting Vernon's 
money was one of the first great errata of my life; 
and this showed that my father was not much out in 
his judgment, when he considered me as too young 
to manage business. But Sir William, on reading 
his letter, said he was too prudent, that there was a 
great difference in persons; and discretion did not 
always accompany years, nor was youth always with- 
out it. " But since he will not set you up, I will do 
it myself. Give me an inventory of the things neces- 
sary to be had from Eugland, and I will send for 
them. You shall repay me when you are able; I am 
resolved to have a good printer here, and I am sure 
you must succeed." This was spoken with such an 
appearance of 'cordiality, that I had not the least 
doubt of his meaning what he said. I had hitherto 
kept the proposition of my setting up a secret in 
Philadelphia, and I still kept it. Had it been known 
that I depended on the Governor, probably some 
friend, that knew him better, would have advised me 
not to rely on him, as I afterwards heard it was his 
known character to be liberal of promises, which he 
never meant to keep. Yet, unsolicited as he was by 
me, how could I think his generous offers insincere? 
1 believed him one of the best men in the world. 

I presented him an inventory of a little printing- 
house, amounting, by my computation, to about one 
hundred pounds sterling. He liked it, but asked 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 73 

me, if my being on the spot in England to choose 
the types, and see that everything was good of the 
kind, might not be of some advantage. " Then," said 
he, '• when there, you may make acquaintance, and 
establish correspondences in the bookselling and 
stationery line." I agreed that this might be ad- 
vantageous. "Then," said ho, "get yourself ready 
to go with Afinis," which was the annual ship, and 
the only one, at that time, usually passing between 
London and Philadelphia. But as it would be som.e 
months before Annis sailed, I continued working 
with Keimer, fretting extremely about the money 
Collins had got from me, and in great apprehensions 
of being called upon for it by Vernon; this, however, 
did not happen for some years after. 

I believe I have omitted mentioning, that in my 
first voyage from Boston to Philadelphia, being be- 
calmed off Block Island, our crew employed ■ 
selves in catching cod, and hauled up a great numbei. 
Till then, I had stuck to my resolution to eat nothing 
that had had life; and on this occasion I considered, 
according to my master Tryon, the taking every fish 
as a kind of unprovoked murder, since none of them 
had, or could do us any injury, that might justify 
this massacre. All this seemed very reasonable. But 
I had been formerly a great lover of fish, and when it 
came out of the frying-pan it smelt admirably well. 
I balanced some time between principle anJ jnclina- J 



74 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

tion, till, recollecting that when the fish were opened 
I saw smaller fish taken out of their stomachs, then, 
thought I, " If you eat one another, I don't see why 
we may not eat you;" so I dined upon cod very 
heartily, and have since continued to eat as other 
people, returning only now and then occasionally to 
a vegetable diet. So convenient a thing it is to be a 
reasonable creature^ since it enables one to find or 
make a reason for everything one has a mind to do. 

Keimer and I lived on a pretty good familiar foot- 
ing, and agreed tolerably well, for he suspected noth- 
ing of my setting up. He retained a great deal of 
his old enthusiasm, and loved argumentation; we 
t-herefore had many disputations. I used to work 
him so with my Socratic method, and had trepanned 
him so often by questions apparently so distant from 
any point we had in hand, yet by degrees leading to 
the point, and bringing him into difficulties and con- 
tradictions, that as last he grew ridiculously cautious, 
and would hardly answer me the most common ques- 
tion, without asking first, " What do you intend to 
infer i'rom that?" However, it gave him so high an 
opinioa of my abilities in the confuting way, that he 
seriously proposed my being his colleague in a project 
he had of setting up a new sect. He was to preach 
the doctrines, and I was to confound all opponents. 
"When he came to explain with me upon the doctrines, 
I found several conundrums, which I objected to, un- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 75 

less I might have my way a little too, and introduce 
some of mine. 

Keimer wore his beard at full length, because 
somewhere in the Mosaic law it is said, " Thou shall 
not mar the corners of thy bearcV He likewise kept 
the seventh day, Sabbath ; and these two points were 
essential with him. I disliked both, but agreed to 
them on condition of his adopting the doctrine of not 
using animal food. "I doubt," said he, "my con- 
stitution will not bear it." I assured him it would, 
and that he would be the better for it. He was 
usually a great eater, and I wished to give myself 
some diversion in half -starving him. He consented 
to try the practice, if I would keep him company. 
I did so, and we held it for three months. Our pro- 
visions were purchased, cooked, and brought to us 
regularly by a woman in the neighbourhood, who had 
from me a list of forty dishes, which she prepared for 
us at different times, in which there entered neitlier 
fish, flesh, nor fowl. This whim suited me ■ bo better 
at this time from the cheapness of it, not 3c-,t iii^ us 
above eighteen pence sterling each per week. I have 
since kept several lents more strictly, leaving the 
common diet for that, and that for the common, 
abruptly, without the least inconvenience; so that I 
think there is little in the advice of making those 
changes by easy gradations. I went on pleasantly, 
but poor Keimer suffered grievously, grew tired of 



76 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

the project, loDged for the fleshpots of Egypt, and 
ordered roast pig. He invited me and two women 
friends to dine with him ; but it being brought too 
soon upon table, he could not resist the temptation, 
and ate the whole before we came. 

I had made some courtship during this time to 
Miss Eead. I had a great respect and affection for 
her, and had some reasons to believe she had the same 
for me; but, as I was about to take a long voyage, 
and we were both very young, only a little above 
eighteen, it was thought most prudent by her mother 
to prevent our going too far at present ; as a marriage, 
if it was to take place, would be more convenient 
alter my return, when I should be, as I hoped, set up 
in my business. Perhaps, too, she thought my ex- 
pectations not so well founded as I imagined them to 
be. 

My chief acquaintances at this time were Charles 
Osborne, Joseph AVatson, and James Ealph ; all lovers 
of reading. The two first were clerks to an eminent 
scrivenor or conveyancer in the town, Charles Brock- 
den, the other was a clerk to a merchant. Watson 
was a pious, sensible young man, of great integrity; 
the others rather more lax in their principles of re- 
ligion, particularly Ralph, who, as well as Collins, 
had been unsettled by me; for which they both made 
me suffer- Osborne was sensible, candid, frank; sin- 
ere and affectionate to his friends; but, in literary 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 77 

matters, too fond of criticism. Ralph was ingenious, 
genteel in his manners, and extremely eloquent; I 
think I never knew a prettier talker. Both were 
great admirers of poetry, and began to try their hands 
in little pieces. Many pleasant walks we have had 
together on Sundays in the woods, on the banks of 
the Schuylkill, where we read to one another, and 
conferred on what we had read. 

Ralph was inclined to give himself up entirely to 
poetry, not doubting that he might make great pro- 
ficiency in it, and even make his fortune by it. He 
pretended that the greatest poets must, when the} 
first began to write, have committed as many faiilts i^s 
he did. Osborne endeavoured to dissuade hiu, 
assured him he had no genius for poetry, and advised 
him to think of nothing beyond the business he 'vas 
bred to; that in the mercantile way, though he had 
no stock, he might by his diligence and punctuality 
recommend himself to employment as a factor, ,iid in 
time acquire wherewith to trade on his own fKVount. 
I approve for my part the amusing one's ,-,e" with 
poetry now and then, so far as to improve one's 
language, but no farther. 

On this it was proposed that we should each of us, 
at our next meeting, produce a piece of our own com- 
posing, in order to improve by our mutual observa- 
tions, criticisms, and corrections. As lanauage and 
expression were what we had in view, we excluded a} 



78 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

considerations of invention, by agreeing that the task 
should be a version of the eighteenth Psalm, which 
describes the descent of a Deity. When the time of 
our meeting drew nigh, Kalph called on me first, and 
let me know his piece was ready. I told him I had 
been busy, and having little inclination, had done 
nothing. He then showed me his piece for my 
opinion, and I much approved it, as it appeared to 
me to have great merit. " Now," said he, " Osborne 
never will allow the least merit in anything of mine, 
but makes a thousand criticisms out of mere envy. 
Be is not so Jealous of you; I wish, therefore, you 
yould take this piece and produce it as yours. I will 
pVetend not to have had time, and so produce noth- 
ing. We shall then hear what he will say to it." It 
■was agreed, and I immediately transcribed it, that it 
nii^^ht appear in my own hand. 

We met. Watson's performance was read; there 
were . ome beauties in it, but many defects. Osborne's 
was read ; it was much better. Ralph did it justice ; 
remarl.^d some faults, but applauded the beauties. 
He himself had nothing to produce. I was back- 
ward, seemed desirous of being excused, had not had 
sufficient time to correct, &c. But no excuse could 
be admitted; produce I must. It was read and re- 
peated. Watson and Osborne gave up the contest, 
'and joined in applauding it. Ralph only made some 
t^riticismfej and proposed some amendments; but I 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 79 

defended my text. Osborne was severe against Ralph, 
and told me he was no better able to criticise than 
compose verses. As these two were returning home, 
Osborne expressed himself still more strongly in favour 
of what he thought my production; having before re- 
frained, as he said, lest I should think he meant to 
flatter me. "But who would have imagined," said 
he, ''that Franklin was capable of such a perform- 
ance; such painting, such force, such fire! He has 
even improved on the original. In common con- 
versation he seems to have no choice of words; he 
hesitates and blunders, and yet, how he writer ' 
When we next met, Ralph discovered the trick wf^ 
had played, and Osborne was laughed at. 

This transaction fixed Ralph in his resolution of 
becoming a poet. I did all I could to dissuade Ivim 
from it, but he continued scribbling verses till Pope 
cured him. He became, however, a pretty gooci |;rose 
writer. More of him hereafter.* But, as I mv ^ not 

* Ralph obtained much celebrity as a political a^ d his- 
torical writer. He also wrote poetry and plays, but with 
less success. He published " Night, " a poem ; and ^Another 
poem, called "Sawney." In this latter he abused Swift, 
Pope, and Gay. In revenge, Pope introduced his name 
into the "Dunciad." 

"Silence, ye wolves, while Ralph to Cynthia bowls, 
And makes Night hideous ; answer him. ye owls." 

He wrote a much approved work, entitled 'Use and 
Abuse of Parliaments"; and also a "History of England 



80 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

have occasion to mention the other two, I shall just 
remark here, that Watson died in my arms a few 
years after, much lamented, being the best of our set. 
Osborne went to the West Indies, where he became 
an eminent lawyer and made money, but died young. 
He and I had made a serious agreement, that the one 
who happened first to die should, if possible, make a 
friendly visit to the other, and acquaint him how he 
found things in that separate state. But he never 
fulfilled his promise. 

The Governor, seeming to like my company, had 
me frequently at his house; and his setting me up 
"•was always mentioned as a fixed thing. I was to take 
wdth me letters recommendatory to a number of his 
fr-iends, besides the letter of credit to" furnish me with 
th*9 necessary money for purchasing the press, types, 
paper, &c. For these letters I was appointed to call 
at different times, when they were to be ready; but 
a fut ire time was still named. Thus we went on till 
the fchip — whose departure, too, had been several 
times postponed — was on the point of sailing. Then, 

during the reign of William the Third," in two folio 
volumes. Alluding to this work, Fox pronounces the 
author a historian of great acuteness, as well as diligence, 
but who falls sometimes into the common error of judging 
by the event." Ealph produced also many political pam- 
phlets, and was employed by the ministry at different times 
to promote their aims with his pen. For these services he 
\was pensioned. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 81 

when I called to take my leave and receive the letters, 
his secretary, Dr. Baird, came out to me and said the 
Governor was extremely busy in writing, but would 
be down at Newcastle before the ship, and then the 
letters would be delivered to me. 

Ealph, though married, and having one child, had 
determined to accompany me in this voyage. It was 
thought he intended to establish a correspondence, 
and obtain goods to sell on commission; but I foun i 
after, that having some cause of discontent with hiti 
wife's relations, he proposed to leave her on their 
hands, and never to return to America. Having 
taken leave of my friends, and exchanged promises 
with Miss Read, I quitted Philadelphia in the jhip, 
wdiich anchored at Newcastle. The Governor was 
there; but when I went to his lodging, his secretary 
came to me from him with expressions of the g:"eatest 
regret that he could not then see me, being rn gaged 
in business of the utmost importance; but that he 
would send the letters to me on board, wishing me 
heartily a good voyage and a speedy return, &c. 
I returned on board a little puzzled, but still not 
doubting. 
6 



82 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

CHAPTER III. 

EIGHTEEi^ MONTHS IN LONDON. 

Mr. Andrew Hamilton, a celebrated lawyer of 
Philadelphia, had taken his passage in the same ship 
for himself and son, with Mr. Denham, a Quaker 
merchant, and Messrs. Oniam and Russel, masters of 
an iron -work in Mar^dand, who had engaged the 
great cabin ; so that Ealph and I were forced to take 
up with a berth in the steerage, and none on board 
knowing us, were considered as ordinary persons. 
But Mr. Hamilton and his son (it was James, since 
Governor), returned from Newcastle to Philadelphia; 
the .Ttther being recalled by a great fee to plead for 
a sei'^ed ship. And, just before we sailed. Colonel 
French ivoming on board, and showing me great re- 
spect, I was more taken notice of, and, with my 
friend Ralph, invited by the other gentlemen to come 
into the cabin, there being now room. Accordingly 
we removed thither. 
> Understanding that Colonel French had brought 
a on board the Governor's despatches, I asked the cap- 
^V.ain for tlioso letters that were to be under my care. 
^1e said aJl were put into the bag together; and he 
^Q-inld not 'hcsi come at them; but, before we landed 
'■was Euglandj, I should have an opportunity of picking 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 83 

them out; so I was satisfied for the present, and we 
proceeded on our voyage. We had a sociable com- 
pany in the cabin, and lived uncommonly well, hav- 
ing the addition of all Mr. Hamilton's stores, who 
had laid in plentifully. In this passage Mr. Denham 
contracted a friendship for me, that continued dur- 
ing his life. The voyage was otherwise not a pleasant 
one, as we had a great deal of bad weather. 

When we came into the Channel, the captain kept 
his word with me, and gave me an opportunity of 
examining the bag for the Governor's letters. I 
found some upon which my name was put as under 
my care. I picked out six or seven, that, by the 
handwriting, I thought might be the promised letters, 
especially as one of them was addressed to Basket, the 
King's printer, and another to some stationer. We 
arrived in London the 24th December, 1724. I 
waited upon the stationer, who came first in my way, 
delivering the letter as from Governor Keith. " I 
don't know such a person," said he; but, opening 
the letter, "oh! this is from Eiddlesden. I have 
lately found him to be a complete rascal, and I will 
have nothing to do with him, nor receive any letters 
from him." So putting the letter into my hand, he 
turned on his heel and left me to serve some cus- 
tomer, I was surprised to find these were not the 
Governor's letters; and, after recollecting and com- 
paring circumstances, I began to doubt his sincerity. 



84 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

I found my friend Denliam, and opened the whole 
affair to him. He let me into Keith's character, 
told me there was not the least probability that he 
had written any letters for me; that no one, who 
knew him, had the smallest dependence on him; and 
he laughed at the idea of the Governor's giving me a 
letter of credit, having, as he said, no credit to give. 
On my expressing some concern about what I should 
do, he advised me to endeavour getting some em- 
ployment in the way of my business. "Among the 
printers here," said he, "you will improve yourself, 
and when you return to America, you vvill set up to 
greater advantage." 

We both of us happened to know, as well as the 
stationer, that Eiddlesden, the attorney, was a very 
knave. He had half ruined Miss Read's father by 
persuading him to be bound for him. By his letter 
it appeared there was a secret scheme on foot to the 
prejudice of Mr. Hamilton (supposed to be then 
coming over with us) ; that Keith was concerned in 
it with Eiddlesden. Denham, who was a friend of 
Hamilton's, thought he ought to be acquainted with 
it; so, when he arrived in England, which was soon 
after, partly from resentment and ill-will to Keith 
and Eiddlesden, and partly from good-will to him, 
I waited on him, and gave him the letter. He 
thanked me cordially, the information being of im- 
portance to him ; and from that time he became my 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 85 

friend, greatly to my advantage afterwards on many 
occasions. 

But what shall we think of a Governor playing 
such pitiful tricks and imposing so grossly on a poor 
ignorant boy! It was a habit he had acquired. He 
wished to please everybody; and, having little to 
give, he gave expectations. He was otherwise an 
ingenious, sensible man, a pretty good writer, and a 
good Governor for the people, though not for his 
constituents, the Proprietaries, whose instructions he 
sometimes disregarded. Several of our best laws were 
of his planning, and passed during his administration. 

Kalph and I were inseparable companions. We 
took lodgings together in Little Britain at three 
shillings and sixpence a week, as much as we could 
then afford. He found some relations, but they 
were poor, and unable to assist him. He now let me 
know his intentions of remaining in London, and 
that he never meant to return to Philadelphia. He 
had brought no money with him, the whole he could 
muster having been expended in paying his j^assage. 
I had fifteen pistoles; so he borrowed occasionally 
of me to subsist while he was looking out for busi- 
ness. He first endeavoured to get into the play- 
house, believing himself qualified for an actor; but 
Wilkes, to whom he applied, advised him candidly not 
to think of that employment, as it was impossible he 
should succeed in it. Then he proposed to Eoberts, 



86 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

a publisher in Paternoster Eow, to write for him a 
weekly paper like the Spectator, on certain condi- 
tions, which Eoberts did not approve. Then he en- 
deavoured to get employment as a hackney writer, 
to copy for the stationers and lawyers about the 
Temple, but could not find a vacancy. 

For myself, I immediately got into work at Palm- 
er's, a famous printing-house in Bartholomew Close, 
where I continued near a year. I was pretty dili- 
gent, but I spent with Ealph a good deal of my 
earnings at plays and public amusements. We had 
nearly consumed all my pistoles, and now just rubbed 
on from hand to mouth. He seemed quite to 
have forgotten his wife and child, and I by degrees 
my engagements with Miss Read, to whom I never 
wrote more than one letter, and that was to let her 
know I was not likely soon to return. This was 
another of the great errata of my life, which I could 
wish to correct if I were to live it over again. In 
fact, by our expenses, I was constantly kept unable 
to pay my passage. 

At Palmer's I was employed in composing for the 
second edition of Wollaston's Religion of Nature. 
Some of his reasonings not appearing to me well 
founded, I wrote a little metaphysical piece, in 
which I made remarks on them. It was entitled, A 
Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and 
Pain. I inscribed it to my friend Ralph ; I printed a 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 87 

small number. It occasioued my being more consid- 
ered by Mr. Palmer as a young man of some ingen- 
uity, though he seriously expostulated with me 
upon the principles of my pamphlet, which to him 
appeared abominable. My printing this pamphlet 
was another erratum.. While I lodged in Little 
Britain I made an acquaintance with one Wilcox, a 
bookseller, whose shop was next door. He had an 
immense collection of second-hand books. Circulat- 
ing libraries were not then in use; but we agreed, 
that, on certain reasonable terms, which I have now 
forgotten, I might take, read, and return, any of his 
books. This I esteemed a great advantage, and I 
made as much use of it as I could. 

My pamphlet by some means falling into the hands 
of one Lyons, a surgeon, author of a book entitled 
Tlie InfalUMUty of Human Judgment^ it occasioned an 
acquaintance between us. He took great notice of me, 
called on me often to converse on those subjects, car- 
ried me to the Horns, a pale-ale house in Lane, 

Cheapside, and introduced me to Dr. Mandeville, 
author of the Fahle of the Bees^ who had a club there, 
of which he was the soul, being a most facetious, 
entertaining companion. Lyons, too, introduced me 
to Dr. Pemberton at Batson's Coffee-house, who 
promised to give me an opportunity, some time or 
other, of seeing Sir Isaac Newton, of which I was 
extremely desirous; but this never happened. 



88 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

I had brought over a few curiosities, among which 
the principal was a purse made of the asbestos, which 
purifies by fire. Sir Hans Sloane heard of it, came 
to see me, and invited me to his house in Bloomsbury 
Square, showed me all his curiosities, and persuaded 
me to add that to the number; for which he paid 
me handsomely. 

In our house lodged a young woman, a milliner, 
who, I think, had a shop in the Cloisters. She had 
been genteelly bred, was sensible, lively, and of a most 
pleasing conversation. Ealph read plays to her in 
the evenings. Afterwards he took a resolution of 
going from Loudon, to try for a country school, 
which he thought himself well qualified to undertake, 
as he wrote an excellent hand, and was master of 
arithmetic and accounts. This, however, he deemed 
a business below him, and, confident of future better 
fortune, when he should be unwilling to have it known 
that he once was so meanly employed, he changed his 
name, and did me the honour to assume mine; for I 
soon after had a letter from him, acquainting me 
that he was settled in a small village (in Berkshire, 
I think it was, where he taught reading and writing 
to ten or a dozen boys, at sixpence each per week), 
and desiring me to write to him, directing for Mr. 
Franklin, schoolmaster, at such a place. 

He continued to write to me frequently, sending 
me large specimens of an epic poem, which he was 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 89 

then composing, and desiring my remarks and cor- 
rections. These I gave him from time to time, but 
endeavoured rather to discourage his proceeding. One 
of Young's Satires was then just published. I copied 
and sent him a great part of it, which set in a 
stroug light the folly of pursuing the Muses. All 
was in vain ; sheets of the poem continued to come 
by every post. I now began to think of getting a 
little beforehand, and, expecting better employment, 
I left Palmer's to work at Watts's, near Lincoln's 
Inn Fields, a still greater printing-house. Here I 
continued all the rest of my stay in London. 

At my first admission into the printing-house I 
took to working at press, imagining I felt a want for 
the bodily exercise I had been used to in America, 
where press-work * is mixed with the composing. I 
drank only water; the other workmen, near fifty in 
number, were great drinkers of beer. On occasion I 
carried up and down stairs a large form of types in 
each hand, when others carried but one in both hands. 
They wondered to see, from this and several in- 
stances, that the }Vater-American, as they called 
me, was strongei' than themselves, who drank strong 
beer! We had an ale-house boy, who attended 
always in the house to supply the workmen. My 
companion at the press drank every day a pint before 
breakfast, a pint at breakfast with his bread and 
cheese, a pint between breakfast and dinner, a pint 



90 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

at dinner, a pint in the afternoon about 6 o'clock, 
and another when he had done his day's work. I 
thought it a detestable custom; but it was neces- 
sary, he supposed, to drink strong beer that he might 
be strong to labour. I endeavoured to convince him, 
that the bodily strength afforded by beer could only 
be in proportion to the grain or flour of the barley 
dissolved in the water of which it was made; that 
there was more flour in a pennyworth of bread ; and 
therefore, if he could eat that with a pint of water, 
it would give him more strength than a quart of 
beer. He drank on, however, and had four or five 
shillings to pay out of his wages every Saturday 
night for that vile liquor; an expense I was free from. 
And thus these poor fellows keep themselves always 
under. 

Watts, after some weeks, desiring to have me in 
the composing-room, I left the pressmen; a new Men 
vetm for drink, being five shillings, was demanded of 
me by the compositors. I thought it an imposition, 
as I had paid one to the pressmen; the master 
thought so too, and forbade my paying it. I stood 
out two or three weeks, was accordingly considered 
as an excommunicate, and had so many little pieces 
of private malice practised on me by mixing my sorts, 
transposing and breaking my matter, &c. &c., if ever 
I stepped out of the room; and all ascribed to the 
chapel ghost, which they said ever haunted those not 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 91 

regularly admitted; that, notwithstanding my mas- 
ter's protection, I found myself obliged to comply and 
pay the money; convinced of the folly of being on 
ill terms with those one is to live with continually. 

I was now on a fair footing with them, and soon 
acquired considerable influence. I proposed some 
reasonable alterations in their cUapeT^ laws, and carried 
them against all opposition. From my example, a 
great many of them left their muddling breakfast of 
beer, bread, and cheese, finding they could with me 
be supplied from a neighbouring house, with a large 
porringer of hot water -gruel, sprinkled with pep- 
per, crumbled with bread, and a bit of butter in 
it, for the price of a pint of beer, viz., three half- 
pence. This was a more comfortable as well as a 
cheaper breakfast, and kept their heads clearer. 
Those who contiuued sotting with their beer all day 
were often, by not paying, out of credit at the ale- 
house, and used to make interest with me to get beer ; 
their liglit^ as they phrased it, being out. I watched 
the pay-table on Saturday night, and collected what 
I stood engaged for them, having to pay sometimes 
near thirty shillings a week on their accounts. This, 
and my being estimated a pretty good riggite^ that 
is, a jocular verbal satirist, supported my consequence 
in the society. My constant attendance (I never 
making a St. Monday) recommended me to the mas- 

* A printing-house is called a chapel by the workmen. 



92 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ter; and my uncommon quickness at composing occa- 
sioned my being put upon work of despatch, which 
was generally better paid. So I went on now very 
agreeably. 

My lodgings in Little Britain being too remote, 1 
found another in Duke Street, opposite to the Eomish 
Chapel. It was up three pair of stairs backwards, at 
an Italian warehouse. A widow lady kept the house: 
she had a daughter, and a maid-servant, and a jour- 
neyman who attended the warehouse, but lodged 
abroad. After sending to inquire my character at 
the house where I last lodged, she agreed to take me 
in at the same rate — three shillings and sixpence a 
week; cheaper, as she said, fj'om the protection she 
expected in having a man to lodge in the house. 
She was a widow, an elderly woman ; had been bred 
a Protestant, being a clergyman's daughter, but 
was converted to the Catholic religion by her hus- 
band, whose memory she much revered; had lived 
much among people of distinction, and knew a 
thousand anecdotes of them as far back as the time 
of Charles II. She was lame in her knees with 
the gout, and therefore seldom stirred out of her 
room, so sometimes wanted company; and hers was 
so highly amusing to me, that I was sure to spend an 
evening with her whenever she desired it. Our sup- 
per was only half an anchovy each, on a very little 
slice of bread-and-butter; but the entertainment was 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 93 

in her conversation. My always keeping good hours, 
and giving little trouble in the family, made her un- 
willing to part with me; so that when I talked of a 
lodging I had heard of, nearer my business, for two 
shillings a week (which, intent as I was on saving 
money, made some difference), she bid me not think 
of it, for she would abate me two shillings a week for 
the future; so I remained with her at one shilling and 
sixpence as long as I stayed in London. 

In a garret of her house there lived a maiden lady 
of seventy, in the most retired manner, of whom my 
landlady gave me this account: — that she was a 
Roman Catholic; had been sent abroad when young, 
and lodged in a nunnery with an intent of becoming 
a nun; but, the country not agreeing with her, she 
returned to England, where, there being no nunnery, 
she had vowed to lead the life of a nun, as near as 
might be done in those circumstances. Accordingly, 
she had given all her estate to charitable purposes, re- 
serving only twelve pounds a year to live on; and out 
of this sum she still gave a part in charity, living 
herself on water-gruel only, and using no fire but to 
boil it. She had lived many years in that garret, 
being permitted to remain there gratis by successive 
Catholic tenants of the house below, as they deemed 
it a blessing to have her there. A priest visited her, 
to confess her every day. " From this I asked her," 
said my landlady, "how she, as she lived, could 



94 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

possibly find so much employment for a confessor? 
'Oh!' said she, 'it is impossible to avoid vain 
tlioughts.^ " I was permitted once to visit her. She 
was cheerful and polite, and conversed pleasantly. 
The room was clean, but had no other furniture 
than a mattress, a table with a crucifix and a 
book, a stool which she gave me to sit on, and a 
picture over the chimney of St. Veronica display- 
ing her handkerchief, with the miraculous figure 
of Christ's bleeding face on it, which she explained 
to me with great seriousness. She looked pale, 
but was never sick; and I give it as another in- 
stance, on how small an income life and health may 
be supported. 

At Watts's printing-house I contracted an acquaint- 
ance with an ingenious young man, one AVygate, 
who, having wealthy relations, had been better edu- 
cated than most printers; was a tolerable Latinist, 
spoke French, and loved reading. I taught him and 
a friend of his to swim, at twice going into the river, 
and they soon became good swimmers. They intro- 
duced me to some gentlemen from the country, who 
■went to Chelsea by water, to see the college and Don 
Saltero's curiosities. In our return, at the request 
of the company, whose curiosity Wygate had excited, 
I stripped and leaped into the river, and swam from 
near Chelsea to Blackfriars, performing in the way 
many feats of activity, both upon and under the 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 95 

water, that surprised and pleased those to whom they 
were novelties. 

I had from a child been delighted with this exer- 
cise, had studied and practised Thevenot's motions 
and positions, and added some of my own, aiming at 
the graceful and easy as well as the useful.* All 
these I took this occasion of exhibiting to the com- 
pany, and was much flattered by their admiration: 
and Wygate, who was desirous of becoming a master, 
grew more and more attached to me on that account, 
as well as from the similarity of our studies. He at 
length proposed to me travelling all over Europe to- 
gether, supporting ourselves everywhere by working 
at our business. I was once inclined to it; but men- 
tioning it to my good friend Mr. Denham, with whom 
I often spent an hour when I had leisure, he dis- 
suaded me from it; advising me to think only of re- 
turning to Pennsylvania, which he was now about to 
do. 

I must record one trait of this good man's character. 
Pie had formerly been in business at Bristol, but 
failed in debt to a number of people, com.pounded, 
and went to America. There, by a close application 
to business as a merchant, he acquired a plentiful for- 
tune in a few years. Returning to England in the 
ship with me, he invited his old creditors to an enter- 

* He wrote two interesting papers on the art of swim- 
ming. 



96 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

tainment, at which he thanked them for the easy com- 
position they had favoured him with ; and, when they 
expected nothing but the treat, every man, at the 
first remove, found under his plate an order on a 
banker for the full amount of the unpaid remainder, 
with interest. 

He now told me he was about to return to Phila- 
delphia, and should carry over a great quantity of 
goods, in order to open a store there. He proposed to 
take me over as his clerk, to keep his books, — in 
which he would instruct me, — copy his letters, and 
attend the store. He added, that, as soon as I should 
be acquainted with mercantile business, he would 
promote me by sending me with a cargo of flour and 
bread to the West Indies, and procure me commis- 
sions from others which would be profitable; and, if 
I managed well, would establish me handsomely. 
The thing pleased me; for I was grown tired of Lon- 
don, remembered with pleasure the happy months I 
had spent in Pennsylvania, and wished again to see 
it. Therefore I immediately agreed, on the terms 
of fifty pounds a year, Pennsylvania money; less, in- 
deed, than my then present gettings as a compositor, 
but affording a better prospect. 

I now took leave of printing, as I thought, for ever, 
and was daily employed in my new business, going 
about w4th Mr. Denham among the tradesmen to 
purchase various articles, and see them packed up, 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 

delivering messages, calling upon workmen to de- 
spatch, etc. ; and when all was on board, I had a few 
days' leisure. On one of these days, I was, to my 
surprise, sent for by a great man I knew only by 
.name, Sir William Wyndham, and I waited upon 
I him. He had heard by some means or other of my 
I swimming from Chelsea to Blackfriars, and of my 
teaching Wygate and another young man to swim, in 
a few hours. He had two sons, about to set out on 
"their travels; he wished to have them first taught 
swimming, and proposed to gratify me handsomely if 
I would teach them. They were not yet come to 
town, and my stay was uncertain; so I could not un- 
dertake it. But from the incident I thought it 
likely, that if I were to remain in England, and open 
a swimming-school, I might get a good deal of money ;, 
and it struck me so strongly, that, had the overture-, 
been made me sooner, probably I should not so soon 
have returned to America. Many years after, you 
and I had something of more importance to do with 
one of these sons of Sir William Wyndham, become^ 
Earl of Egremont, which I shall mention in its place. 
Thus I passed about eighteen months in London; 
most part of the time I worked hard at my business, 
and spent but little upon myself except in seeing 
plays, and in books. My friend Ralph had kept me 
poor; he owed me about twenty-seven pounds, which 
I was now never likely to receive; a great sum out of 
7 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Aj small earnings! I loved him, notwithstanding, 
for he had many amiable qualities. I had improved 
m}^ knowledge, however, though I had by no means 
improved my fortune ; but I had made some very in- 
genious acquaintances, whose conversation was of 
great advantage to me ; and I had read considerably. 



CHAPTER IV. 

SETTING UP BUSINESS AS A PRINTER. 

We sailed from Gravesend on the 23rd of July, 1726. 
For the incidents of the voyage, I refer you to my 
journal, where you will find them all minutely re- 
lated. Perhaps the most important part of that 
journal is the plan* to be found in it which I formed 
at sea, for regulating the future conduct of my life. 
It is the more remarkable, as being formed when I 
was so young, and yet being pretty faithfully adhered 
to quite through to old age. 

We landed at Philadelphia the 11th of October, 
where I found sundry alterations. Keith was no 
longer governor, being superseded by Major Gordon; 
I met him walking the streets as a common citizen. 

*Thi3 plan does not exist in the manuscript Journal 
found among Dr. Franklin's papers; which appears, by a 
note thereon, to be a " copy made at Heading, in Pennsyl- 
vania, October 2nd, 1787."— S^. T. F. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 99 

He seemed a little ashamed at seeing me, and passed 
without saying anything. I should have been as 
much ashamed at seeing Miss Bead, had not her 
friends, despairing with reason of my return, after 
the receipt of my letter, i^ersuaded her to marry an- 
other, one Rogers, a potter, which was done in my 
absence. With him, however, she was never happy, 
and soon parted from him, refusing to live with him 
or bear his name, it being now said he had another 
wife. He was a worthless fellow, though an excellent 
workman, which was the temptation to her friends. 
He got into debt, ran away in 1727 or 1728, went to 
the West Indies, and died there. Keimer had got a 
better house, a shop well supplied with stationery, 
plenty of new types, and a number of hands, though 
none good, and seemed to have a great deal of business. 
Mr. Denham took a store in W^ater Street, where 
we opened our goods; I attended the business dili- 
gently, studied accounts, and grew in a little time 
expert at selling. AVe lodged and boarded together ; 
he counselled me as a father, having a sincere regard 
for me. I respected and loved him, and we might 
have gone on together very happily; but, in the be- 
ginning of February, 1727, when I had just passed 
my twenty-first year, we both were taken ill. My dis- 
temper was a pleurisy, which very nearly carried me 
off. I suffered a good deal, gave up the point in my 
own mind, and was at the time rather disappointed 



100 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

when I found myself recovering ; regretting, in some 
degree, that I must now, some time or other, have all 
that disagreeable work to go over again. I forget 
what Mr. Denham's distemper was; it held him along 
time, and at length carried him off. He left me a 
small legacy in a nuncupative will, as a token of his 
kindness for me, and he left me once more to the 
wide world ; for the store was taken iuto tlie care of 
his executors, and my employment under him ended. 
My brother-in-law. Holmes, being now at Phila- 
delphia, advised my return to my business; and 
Keimer tempted me with an offer of large wages by 
the year, to come and take the management of his 
printing-house, that he might better attend to his 
stationer's shop. I had heard a bad character of 
him in London from his wife and her friends, and 
was not for having any more to do with him. I 
wished for employment as a merchant's clerk ; but, 
not meeting with any, I closed again with Keimer. 
I found in his house these hands: Hugh Meredith, 
Welsh Pennsylvanian, thirty years of age, bred to 
country work; he was honest, sensible, a man of ex- 
perience, and fond of readiug, but addicted to drink- 
ing. Stephen Potts, a young countryman of full age, 
bred to the same, of uncommon natural parts, and 
great wit and humour; but a little idle. These I 
agreed with at extreme low wages per week, to be 
raised a shilling every three months, as they would 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 101 

deserve by improving in their business; and the ex- 
pectation of these high wages, to come on hereafter, 
was what he had drawn them in with. Meredith was 
to work at press, Potts at bookbinding, which he by 
agreement was to teach them, though he knew 
nether one nor the other. John , a wild Irish- 
man, brought up to no business, whose service, for 
four years, Keimer had purchased from the captain 
of a ship; he too was to be made a pressman. George 
Webb, an Oxford scholar, whose time for four years 
he had likewise bought, intending him for a com- 
positor, of whom more presently; and David Harry, 
a country boy, whom he had taken apprentice. 

I soon perceived that the intention of engaging me 
at wages so much higher than he had been used to 
give was to have these raw cheap hands formed 
through me; and as soon as I had instructed them, 
they being all articled to him, he should be able to 
do without me. I went, however, very cheerfully, put 
his printing-house in order, which had been in great 
confusion, and brought his hands by degrees to mind 
their business and to do it better. 

It was an odd thing to find an Oxford scholar in 
the situation of a bought servant. He was not more 
than eighteen years of age, and he gave me this ac- 
count of himself: that he was born in Gloucester, 
educated at a grammar school, and had been distin- 
guished among the scholars for some apparent su- 



103 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

periority in performing his part when they exhibited 
plays; belonged to the Wits' Club there, and had 
written some pieces in prose and verse, which were 
printed in the Gloucester newspapers. Thence was 
sent to Oxford; there he continued about a year, but 
not well satisfied ; wishing of all things to see Lon- 
don, and become a player. At length, receiving his 
quarterly allowance of fifteen guineas, instead of dis- 
charging his debts, he went out of town, hid his 
gown in a furze bush, and walked to London; v/here, 
having no friend to advise him, he fell into bad com- 
pany, soon spent his guineas, found no means of 
being introduced among the players, grew necessitous, 
pawned his clothes, and wanted bread. Walking the 
street very hungry, not knowing what to do with him- 
self, a crimp bill was put into his hand, offering im,- 
mediate entertainment and encouragement to such 
as would bind themselves to serve in America. He 
went directly, signed the indentures, was put into 
the ship, and came over; never writing a line to his 
friends to acquaint them what was become of him. 
He was lively, witty, good-natured, and a pleasant 
companion; but idle, thoughtless, and imprudent to 
the last degree. 

John, the Irishman, soon ran away; with the rest 
I began to live very agreeably, for they all respected 
me the more, as they found Keimer incapable of in- 
structing them, and that from me they learned some- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 103 

thing daily. My acquaintance with ingenious people 
in the town increased. We never worked on Satur- 
day, that being Keimer's Sabbath, so that I had two 
days for reading. Keimer himself treated me with 
great civility and apparent regard, and nothing now 
made me uneasy but my debt to Vernon, which I 
was yet unable to pay, being hitherto but a poor 
economist. He, however, kindly made no demand 
of it. 

Our printing-office often wanted sorts, and there 
was no letter-foundry in America. I had seen types 
cast at James's in London, but without much atten- 
tion to the manner. However, I contrived a mould, 
and made use of the letters we had as puncheons, 
struck the matrixes in lead, and thus supplied in a 
pretty tolerable way all deficiencies. I also engraved 
several things on occasion; made the ink; I was 
warehouse-man, and in short, quite a factotum. 

But, however serviceable I might be, I found that 
my services became every day of less importance, as 
the other hands improved in their business; and, 
when Keimer paid me a second quarter's wages, he 
let me know that he felt them too heavy and thought 
that I should make an abatement. He grew by de- 
grees less civil, put on more the airs of master, fre- 
quently found fault, was captious, and seemed ready 
for an outbreaking. I went on nevertheless with a 
good deal of patience, thinking that his incumbered. 



104 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

circumstances were partly the cause. At length a 
trifle snapped our connection — for, a great n'oise 
happening near the court-house, I put my head out 
of the window to see what was the matter. Keimer, 
being in the street, looked up and saw me, called out 
to me in a loud voice and angry tone to mind my busi- 
ness, adding some reproachful words that nettled me 
the more for their publicity, all the neighbours who 
were looking out on the same occasion being wit- 
nesses how I was treated. He came up immediately 
into the printing-house and continued the quarrel; 
high words passed on both sides; he gave me the 
quarter's warning we had stipulated, expressing a 
wish that he had not been obliged to so long a warn- 
ing. I told him his wish was unnecessary, for 1 
would leave him that instant; and so, taking my hat, 
walked out of doors, desiring Meredith, whom I saw 
below, to take care of some things I left and bring 
them to my lodgings. 

Meredith came accordingly in the evening, when we 
talked my affair over. He had conceived a great re- 
gard for me, and was very unwilling that I should 
leave the house while he remained in it. He dis- 
suaded me from returning to my native country, 
which I began to think of. He reminded me that 
Keimer was in debt for all he possessed ; that his 
creditors began to be uneasy ; that he kept his shop 
miserably, sold often without a profit for ready 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 105 

money, and often trusted without keeping accounts; 
that he must therefore fail, which would make a 
vacancy I might profit of. I objected my want of 
money. He then let me know that his father had 
a high opinion of me, and, from some discourse that 
had passed between them, he was sure would advance 
money to set me up, if I would enter into partner- 
ship with him. "My time," said he, "will be out 
with Keimer in the spring; by that time we may 
have our press and types in from London. I am 
sensible I am no workman. If you like it, your 
skill in the business shall be set against the stock I 
furnish, and we will share the profits equally." 

The proposal was agreeable to me, and I con- 
sented. His father was in town, and approved of it; 
the more as he said I had great influence with his 
son; had prevailed on him to abstain long from 
dram-drinking, and he hoped might break him off 
that wretched habit entirely, when we came to be 
so closely connected. I gave an inventory to the 
father, who carried it to a merchant; the things 
were sent for, the secret was to be kept till they 
should arrive, and in the meantime I was to get work, 
if I could, at the other printing-house. But I found 
no vacancy there, and so remained idle a few days, 
when Keimer, on a prospect of being employed to 
print some paper money in New Jersey, which would 
require cuts and various types that I only could sup- 



106 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ply, and apprehending Bradford might engage me 
and get the job from him, sent me a very civil mes- 
sage, that old friends should not part for a few words, 
the effects of sudden passion, and wishing me to re- 
turn. Meredith persuaded me to comply, as it would 
give more opportunity for his improvement under 
my daily instructions; so I returned, and we went on 
more smoothly than for some time before. The New 
Jersey job was obtained. I contrived a copper-plate 
press for it, the first that had been seen in the coun- 
try. I cut several ornaments and checks for the 
bills. We went together to Burlington, where I exe- 
cuted the whole to satisfaction ; and he received so 
large a sum for the work as to be enabled thereby to 
keep himself longer from- ruin. 

At Burlington I made acquaintance with many 
principal people of the province. Several of them 
had been appointed by the Assembly a committee to 
attend the press, and take care that no more bills were 
printed than the law directed. They were, therefore, 
by turns constantly with us, and generally he who 
attended brought with him a friend or two for com- 
pany. My mind having been much more improved 
by reading than Keimer's, I suppose it was for that 
reason my conversation seemed to be more valued. 
They had me to their houses, introduced me to their 
friends, and showed mo much civility; while he, 
though the master, was a little neglected. In truth, 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 107 

he was an odd creature ; ignorant of common life, 
fond of rudely opposing received opinions, slovenly 
to extreme dirtiness, enthusiastic in some points of 
religion, and a little knavish withal. 

We continued there near three months, and by 
that time I could reckon among my acquired friends 
Judge Allen, Samuel Bustill, the secretary of the 
province; Isaac Pearson, Joseph Cooper, and several 
of the Smiths, members of Assembly; and Isaac 
Decow, the surveyor-general. The latter was a 
shrewd, sagacious old man, who told me that he 
began for himself, when young, by wheeling clay for 
the brickmakers ; learned to write after he was of 
age; carried the chain for surveyors, who taught him 
surveying; and he had now, by his industry, acquired 
a good estate; and, said he, "I foresee that you will 
soon work this man out of his business, and make a. 
fortune in it at Philadelphia." He had then not the 
least intimation of my intention to set up there or 
anywhere. These friends were afterwards of great 
use to me, as I occasionally was to some of them. 
They all continued their regard for me as long as 
they lived. 

Before I enter upon my public appearance in 
business it may be well to let you know the then state 
of my mind with regard to my principles and 
morals, that you may see how far those influenced 
the future events of my life. My parents had early 



108 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

given me religious impressions, and brought me 
through my childhood piously in the Dissenting way. 
But I was scarce fifteen, when, after doubting by 
turns several points as I found them disputed in the 
different books I read, I began to doubt of the Rev- 
elation itself. Some books against Deism fell into 
my hands; they were said to be the substance of the 
sermons which had been preached at Boyle's Lec- 
tures. It happened that they wrought an effect on 
me quite contrary to what was intended by them. 
For the arguments of the Deists, which were quoted 
to be refuted, appeared to be much stronger than the 
refutations; in short, I soon became a thorough 
Deist. My arguments perverted some others, par- 
ticularly Collins and Ealph; but each of these hav- 
ing wronged me greatly without the least compunc- 
tion, and recollecting Keith's conduct towards me 
(who was another freethinker), and my own towards 
Vernon and Miss Bead, which at times gave me 
great trouble, I began to suspect that this doctrine, 
though it might be true, was not very useful. My 
London pamphlet, printed in 1725,* which had for 
its motto these lines of Dryden : 

"Whatever is, is right. But purblind man 
Sees but a part o' the cliain, the nearest links ; 
His eyes not carrying to that equal beam, 
That poises all above" ; 

■^Dr. Franklin, in a letter to Benjamin Vaughan, dated 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 109 

and which from the attributes of God, his infinite 
wisdom, goodness, and power, concluded that noth« 
ing could possibly be wrong in the world and that 

November 9th, 1779, gives a further account of this pam- 
phlet in these words : — 

"It was addressed to Mr. J. R., that is, James Ralph, 
then a youth of about my age, and my intimate friend ; 
afterwards a political writer and historian. The purport 
of it was to prove the doctrine of fate, from the supposed 
attributes of God ; in some such manner as this. That in 
erecting and governing the world, as he was infinitely 
wise, he knew what would be best ; infinitely good, he 
must be disposed, and infinitely powerful, he must be able 
to execute it. Consequently all is right. 

"There were only a hundred copies printed, of which I 
gave a few to friends ; and afterwards disliking the piece, 
as conceiving it might have an ill tendency, I burnt the 
rest, except one copy, the margin of which was filled with 
manuscript notes by Lyons, author of the Infallibility of 
Human Judgme7it, who was at that time another of my 
acquaintance in London. I was not nineteen years of age 
when it was wrtten. In 1730, I wrote a piece on the other 
side of the question, which began with laying for its 
foundation this fact : ' That almost all men, in all ages and 
countries, have at times made use of Prayer. ' Thence 
I reasoned, that, if all things are ordained, prayer must 
among the rest be ordained. But, as prayer can procure 
no change in things that are ordained, praying must then 
be useless, and an absurdity. God Avould therefore not 
ordain praying, if everything else was ordained. But 
praying exists, therefore all other things are not ordained, 
&c. This pamphlet was never printed, and the manu- 



110 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

vice and virtue were empty distinctions, no such 
things existing, appeared now not so clever a per- 
formance as I once thought it; and I doubted 
whether some error had not insinuated itself unper- 
ceived into my argument so as to infect all that fol- 
lows, as is common in metaphysical reasonings. 

I grew convinced that truth, sincerity and integ- 
rity, in dealings between man and man, were of the 
utmost importance to the felicity of life; and I 
formed written resolutions, which still remain in my 
journal book, to practise them ever while I lived.* 

script has been long lost. The great uncertainty I found 
in metaphysical reasonings disgusted me, and I quitted 
that kind of reading and study for others more satisfactory. " 

* See Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion, published in 
his works. 

Among Franklin's papers I have found a curious manu- 
script in his handwriting, which contains a new version of 
the Lord's Praj^er. The condition and appearance of the 
manuscript prove it to have been an early performance, 
but its precise date is not known. The form in which it is 
written is here preserved. 

THE LORD'S PRAYER. 

Old Version. New Version. By B. Franklin. 

1. Our Father which art in 1. Heavenly Father, 

heaven, 

2. Hallowed be Thy name. 3. May all revere thee, 

3. Thy kingdom come, 3. And become thy dutiful 

children and faithful 
subjects. 



BENJA3IIN FRANKLIN. Ill 

Eevelation had indeed no weight with me, as such ; 
but I entertained an opinion, that, though certain 
actions might not be bad, because they were forbid- 

4. Thy will be done on 4. May thy laws be obeyed 

earth, as it is in on earth as perfectly 

heaven. as they are in heaven. 

5. Give us this day our daily 5. Provide for us this day, 

bread. as thou hast hitherto 

daily done. 

6. Forgive us our debts as we 6. Forgive us our tres- 

forgive our debtors. passes, and enable us 

to forgive those who 
offend us. 

7. And lead us not into 7. Keep us out of tempta- 

temptation, but de- tion, and deliver us 

liver us from evil. from evil. 

Reasons for the change of expression. 

Old version. — Our Father which art in Heaven. 

New version. — Heavenly Father is more concise, equally 
expressive, and better modern English. 

Old version. — Hallowed he thy name. This seems to 
rf^late to an observance among the Jews not to pronounce 
the proper or peculiar name of God, they deeming it a 
profanation so to do. We have in our language no proper 
iiame for God ; the word God being a common, or general 
name, expressing all chief objects of worship, true or false. 
The word hallowed is almost obsolete. People now have 
but an imperfect conception of the meaning of the petition. 
It is therefore proposed to change the expression into 

New version. — May all revere thee. 

Old VE.^^iOTH.— Thy kingdom come. This petition seems 



112 A UTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

den by it, or good, hecause it commanded them; yet 
probably these actions might be forbidden hecause 
they were bad for us, or commanded hecause they 

suited to the then condition of the Jewish nation. Origi- 
nally their state was a theocracy; God was their king. 
Dissatisfied with that kind of government, they desired a 
visible, earthly king, in the manner of the nations around 
them. They had such kings accordingly ; but their happi- 
ness was not increased bj^ the change, and they had reason 
to wish and pray for a return of the theocracy, or govern- 
ment of God. Christians in these times have other ideas, 
when they speak of the kingdom of God, such as are per- 
haps more adequately expressed by the 

New version. —£eco??ie thy dutiful children and faithful 
subjects. 

Old version. — Thy will he done on earth as it is in 
heaven; more explicitly, 

New version. — 31ay thy laws be obeyed on earth as per- 
fectly as they are in heaven. 

Old version.— Give us this day our daily bread. Give 
us what is ours seems to put in a claim of right, and to 
contain too little of the grateful acknowledgment and sense 
of dependenc ethat become creatures who live on the daily 
bounty of their Creator. Therefore it is changed to 

New version. — Provide for us this day, as thou hast 
hitherto daily done. 

Old version. — Forgive us our debts, as ice forgive our 
debtors (Matthew) . Forgive our sins, for we also forgive 
every one that is indebted to us (Luke), Offerings were 
due to God on many occasions by the Jewish law, which, 
when people could not pay, or had forgotten, as debtors are 
apt to do, it was proper to pray that those debts might be 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 115 

were beneficial to iis, in their own natures, all the 
circumstances of things considered. And this per- 
suasion, with the kind hand of Providence, or some 

forgiveD. Our Liturgy uses neither the debtors of Matthew, 
nor the indebted of Luke, but instead of them speaks of 
those that trespass against us. Perhaps the considering it 
as a Christian duty to forgive debtors was by the compilers 
thought an inconvenient idea in a trading nation. There 
seems, however, something presumptuous in this mode of 
expression, which has the air of proposing ourselves as an 
example of goodness fit for God to imitate. We hope you. 
will at least be as good as ive are ; you see we forgive one 
another, and therefore we pray that you would forgive us. 
Some have considered it in another sense. Forgive us as 
ive forgive others. That is, if we do not forgive others, we 
pray that thou wouldst not forgive us. But this, being a 
kind of conditional imprecatioyi against ourselves, seems 
improper in such a prayer ; and therefore it may be better 
to say humbly and modestly, 

New version. — Forgive us our trespasses, and enable us 
likewise to forgive those ivho offend us. This, instead of 
assuming that we have already in and of ourselves the 
grace of forgiveness, acknowledges our dependence on God, 
the Fountain of Mercy, for any share we may have of it, 
praying that he would communicate it to us. 

Old version. — And lead us not into temptation. The 
Jews had a notion that God sometimes tempted, or 
directed, or permitted, the tempting of people. Thus it 
was said, he tempted Pharoah, directed Satan to tempt 
Job, and a false Prophet to tempt Ahab. Under this per- 
suasion, it was natural for them to pray, that he would not 
put them to such severe trials. We now suppose that 
8 



114 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

guardian angel, or accidental favourable circum- 
stances and situations, or all together, preserved me 
through this dangerous time of youth, and the haz- 
ardous situations I was sometimes in among stran- 
gers, remote from the eye and advice of my father, 
free from any wilful immorality or injustice, that 
might have been expected from my want of religion. 
I say tvilful, because the instances I have mentioned 
had something of necessity in them, from my youth, 
Inexperience, and the knavery of others. I had 
therefore a tolerable character to begin the world 
with; I valued it properly, and determined to pre- 
serve it. 

We had not been loug returned to Philadelphia, 
before the new types arrived from London. We 
settled with Keimer, and left him by his consent be- 
fore he heard of it. 

We found a house to let near the Market, and took 
it. To lessen the rent, which was then but twenty- 
four pounds a year, though I have since known it let 
for seventy, we took in Thomas Godfrey, a glazier, 
and his family, who were to pay a considerable part 
of it to us, and we to board with them. We had 

temptation, so far as it is supernatural, conies from the 
Evil One only ; and this petition continued conveys a sus- 
picion, which, in our present conceptions, seems unworthy 
of God, therefore it might be altered to 
New version. — Keep us out of temptation. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 115 

scarce opened onr letters, and put our press in order, 
before George House, an acquaintance of mine, 
brought a countryman to us, whom he had met in 
the street, inquiring for a printer. All our cash was 
now expended in the variety of particulars we had 
been obliged to procure, and this countryman's five 
shillings, being our first-fruits, and coming so sea- 
sonably, gave me more pleasure than any crown I 
have since earned ; and the gratitude I felt towards 
House has made me often more ready, than perhaps 
I otherwise should have been, to assist young begin- 
ners. 

There are croakers in every country, always boding 
its ruin. Such an one lived in Philadelphia; a person 
of note, an elderly man, with a wise look, and a very 
grave manner of speaking; his name was Samuel 
Mickle. This gentleman, a stranger to me, stopped 
me one day at my door, and asked me if I was the 
young man who had lately opened a new printing 
house. Being answered in the affirmative, he said 
he was sorry for me, because it was an expensive un- 
dertaking, and the expense would be lost; for Phil- 
•adelphia was a sinking place, the people already half 
bankrupts, or near being so; all the appearances of 
the contrary, such as new buildings and the rise of 
rents, being to his certain knowledge fallacious, for 
they were in fact among the things that would ruin 
'us. Then he gave me such a detail of misfortunes 



116 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

now existing, or that were soon to exist, that he left 
me half melancholy. Had I known him before I 
engaged in this business, probably I never should 
have done it. This person continued to live in this 
decaying place, and to declaim in the same strain, 
refusing for many years to buy a house there, be- 
cause all was going to destruction ; and at last I had 
the pleasure of seeing him give five times as much 
for one, as he might have bought it for when he first 
began croaking. 



CHAPTER V. 

STAETING A NEWSPAPER. 

I SHOULD have mentioned before, that in the au- 
tumn of the preceding year I had formed most of 
my ingenious acquaintance into a club for mutual 
improvement, which we called the Junto. We met 
on Friday evenings. The rules that I drew up re- 
quired that every member, in his turn, should pro- 
duce one or more queries on any point of Morals, 
Politics, or Natural Philosophy to be discussed by 
the company; and once in three months produce and 
read an essay of his own writing, on any subject he 
pleased. Our debates were to be under the direction 
of a president, and to be conducted in the sincere 
spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 117 

dispute, or desire of victory; and to prevent warmth, 
all expressions of positiveness in opinions, or direct 
contradiction, were after some time made contra- 
band, and prohibited under small pecuniary penal- 
ties. 

The first members were Joseph Breintnal, a copier 
of deeds for the scriveners, a good-natured, friendly, 
middle-aged man, a great lover of poetry, reading all 
he could meet with, and writing some that was tol- 
erable; very iugenious in making little nick- 
nackeries, and of sensible conversation. 

Thomas Godfrey, a self-taught mathematician, 
great in his way, and afterwards inventor of what 
is now called Hadleifs Quadrant.^ But he knew 
little out of his w^y, and was not a pleasing com- 
panion; as, like most great mathematicians I have 
met with, he expected universal precision in every- 
thing said, or was for ever denying or distinguishing 
upon trifles, to the disturbance of all conversation. 
He soon left us. 

Nicholas Scnll, a surveyor, afterwards surveyor- 
general, who loved books, and sometimes made a few 
verses. 

-William Parsons, bred a shoemaker, but loving 
reading had acquired a considerable share of mathe- 

* Godfrey's claims to this invention are fully explained 
and confirmed in Miller's Retrospect of the Eighteenth 
Century, vol. i., pp. 468-480. 



118 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

matics, which he first studied with a view to astrol- •< 
ogy, and afterwards laughed at it. He also became 
surveyor-general. 

William Maugridge, joiner, but a most exquisite 
mechanic, and a solid, sensible man. 

Hugh Meredith, Stephen Potts, and George Webb, 
I have characterized before. 

Robert Grace, a young gentleman of some fortune, 
generous, lively, and witty; a lover of punning and 
of his friends. 

Lastly, William Coleman, then a merchant's clerk, 
about my age, who had the coolesi;, clearest head, the 
best heart, and the exactest morals, of almost any 
man I ever met with. He became afterwards a mer- 
chant of great note, and one of our provincial judges. 
Our friendship continued without interruption to his 
death, upwards of forty years; and the club contin- 
ued almost as long, and was the best school of philos- 
ophy, morality, and politics that then existed in the 
province; for our queries, which were read the week 
preceding their discussion, put us upon reading with 
attention on the several subjects, that we might speak 
more to the purpose; and here, too, we acquired bet- 
ter habits of conversation, everything being studied 
in our rules which might prevent our disgusting each 
other. Hence the long continuance of the club, 
Avhich I shall have frequent occasion to speak further 
of hereafter. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 119 

But my giving this account of it here, is to show 
something of the interest I had, every one of these 
exerting themselves in recommending business to us. 
Breintnal particularly procured us from the Quakers 
the printing of forty sheets of their history, the rest 
being to be done by Keimer; and upon these we 
worked exceedingly hard, for the price was low. It 
was a folio, pro patrid size, in pica, with long primer 
notes. I composed a sheet a day, and Meredith 
worked it off at press. It was often eleven at night, 
and sometimes later, before I had finished my distri- 
bution for the next day's work; for the little jobs 
sent in by our other friends now and then put us 
back. But so determined I was to continue doing a 
sheet a day of the folio, that one night, when having 
imposed my forms' I thought my day's work over, one 
of them by accident was broken, and two pages re- 
duced io pie. I immediately distributed and com- 
posed it over again before I went to bed ; and this in- 
dustry, visible to our neighbours, began to give us 
character and credit. Particularly I was told, that 
mention being made of the new printing-office at the 
merchants' every-night club, the general opinion was 
that it must fail, their being already two printers in 
the place, Keimer and Bradford. But Dr. Baird 
(whom you and I saw many years after at his native 
place, St. Andrew's in Scotland) gave a contrary 
opinion; "For the industry of that Franklin," said 



120 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

he, " is superior to anythiDg I ever saw of the kind. 
I see him still at work when I go home from club, 
and he is at work again before his neighbours are 
out of bed." This struck the rest, and we soon after 
had offers from one of them to supply us with sta- 
tionery; but as yet we did not choose to engage in 
shop business. 

I mention this industry more particularly and the 
more freely, though it seems to be talking in my 
own praise, that those of my posterity who shall read 
it, may know the use of that virtue, when they see its 
effects in my favour throughout this relation. 

George Webb, who had found a female friend that 
lent him wherewith to purchase his time of Keimer, 
now came to offer himself as a journeyman to us. 
We could not then employ him ; but I foolishly let 
him know, as a secret, that I soon intended to begin 
a newspaper, and might then have work for him. 
My hopes of success, as I told him, were founded on 
this: that the then only newspaper, printed by Brad- 
ford, was a paltry thing, wretchedly managed, no way 
entertaining, and yet was profitable to him, — I there- 
fore freely thought a good paper would scarcely fail 
of good encouragement. I requested Webb not to 
mention it; but he told it to Keimer, who immedi- 
ately, to be beforehand with me, published proposals 
for one himself, on which Webb was to be employed. 
I was vexed at this; and to counteract them, not be- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 131 

ing able to commence our paper, I wrote several 
amusing pieces for Bradford's paper, under the title 
of The Busy Body, which Breintnal continued 
some months. By this means the attention of the 
public was fixed on that paper; and Keimer's pro- 
posals, which we burlesqued and ridiculed, were dis- 
regarded. He began'his paper, however; and before 
carrying it on three-quarters of a year, with at most 
only ninety subscribers, he offered it me for a trifle; 
and I, having been ready some time to go on with it, 
took it in hand directly, and it proved in a few years 
extremely profitable to me.* 

■^ It was called the Pennsylvania Gazette. Franklin and 
Meredith began the paper with No. 4.0, September 25th, 
1729. 

A characteristic anecdote has been related of Franklin, 
ilhistrative of his independence as an editor. Soon after 
the establishment of his newspaper, he found occasion to 
remark with some degree of freedom on the public conduct 
of one or two persons of high standing in Philadelphia. 
This course was disa[)proved by some of his patrons, who 
sought an opportunity to convey to him their views of the 
subject, and what they represented to be the opinion of his 
friends. He listened patiently, and replied by requesting 
that they would favour him with their company at supper, 
and bring with them the other gentlemen, who had ex- 
pressed dissatisfaction. The time arrived, and the guests 
assembled. He received them cordially, and listened 
again to their friendly reproofs of his editorial conduct. 
At length supper was announced ; but, when the guests 



132 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

I perceive that I am apt to speak in the singular 
number, though our partnership still continued ; it 
may be, that in fact the whole management of the 
business lay upon me. Meredith was no compositor, 
a poor pressman, and seldom sober. My friends la- 
mented my connection with him, but I was to make 
the best of it. 

Our first papers made quite a different appearance 
from any before in the province; a better type and 
better printed ; but some remarks* of my writing, on 

had seated themselves around the table, they were surprised 
to see nothing before them Vmt two puddings, made of 
coarse meal, called saivdust puddings in the common 
phrase, and a stone pitcher filled with water. He helped 
them all, and then applied himself to his own plate, partak- 
ing freely of the repast, and urging liis friends to do the 
same. They taxed their politeness to the utmost, but all in 
vain ; their appetites refused obedience to the will. Per- 
ceiving their difficulty, Franklin at last arose and said, 
" My friends, any one vjJio can subsist upon sawdust pud- 
ding and ivater, as I can, needs no man's patronage. ^^ 

* These remarks are in the Pennsylva^iia Gazette for 
October 2nd, 1729, and are as follows : — 

"His Excellency, Governor Burnet, died unexpectedly 
about two days after the date of this reply to his last mes- 
sage ; and it was thought that the dispute would have ended 
with him, or at least have lain dormant till the arrival of 
a new Governor from England, who possibly might, or 
might not, be inclined to enter too vigorously into the 
measures of his predecessor. But our last advices by the 
post acquaint us, that his Honour, the Lieutenant-governor, 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. \2^ 

the dispute then going on between Governor Burnet 
and the Massachusetts Assembly, struck the principal 
people, occasioned the paper and the manager of it 

on whom the governnient immediately devolves upon the 
death or absence of the Commander-in-chief, has vigorously 
renewed the struggle on his own account, of which tiie 
particulars will be seen in our next. 

"Perhaps some of our readers may not fully understand 
the original ground of this warm contest between the Gov- 
ernor and Assembly. It seems that people have for these 
hundred years past enjoyed the privilege of rewarding the 
Governor for the time being, according to their sense of his 
merit and services ; and few or none of their Governors 
have complained, or had cause to complain, of a scanty 
allowance. When the late Governor Burnet brought with 
him instructions to demand ?i settled salary of one thousand 
pounds sterling per annum, on him and all his successors, 
and the Assembly were required to fix it immediately, he 
insisted on it strenuously to the last, and they as constantly 
refused it. It appears by their votes and proceedings, that 
they thought it an imposition, contrary to their own 
charter, and to Magna Charta ; and they judged that there 
should be a mutual dependence between the Governor and 
governed; and that to make the Governor independent 
would be dangerous and destructive to their liberties, and 
the ready way to establish tyranny. They thought, like- 
wise, that the province was not the less dependent on the 
Crown of Great Britain, by the Governor's depending im- 
mediately on them and his own good conduct for an ample 
support ; because all acts and laws, which he might be in- 
duced to pass, must nevertheless be constantly sent home 
for approbation in order to continue in force. Many other 



124 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

to be mucli talked of, and in a few weeks brought 
them all to be our subscribers. 

Their example was followed by many, and our 
number went on growing continually. This was one 

reasons were given, and arguments used, in the course of 
the controversy, needless to particularize here, because all 
the material papers relating to it have been already given 
in our public news. 

"Much deserved praise has the deceased Governor re- 
ceived for his steady integrity in adhering to his instruc- 
tions, notwithstanding the great diflficulty and opposition 
he met with, and the strong temptation offered from time 
to time to induce him to give up the point. And yet, per- 
haps, something is due to the Assembly (as the love and 
zeal of that country for the present establishment is too 
well known to suffer any suspicion of want of loyalty) , 
who continue thus resolutely to abide by what they think 
their right, and that of the people they represent ; maugre 
all tiie arts and menaces of a Governor famed for his cun- 
ning and politics, backed with instructions from home, 
and powerfully aided by the great advantage such an officer 
always has of engaging the principal men of a place in his 
party, by conferring where he pleases so many posts of 
profit and honour. Their happy mother country will per- 
haps observe with pleasure, that though her gallant cocks 
and matchless dogs abate their natural fire and intrepidity, 
when transported to a foreign clime (as this nation is), 
yet her sons in the remotest part of the earth, and even to 
the third and fourth descent, still retain that ardent spirit 
of liberty, and that undaunted courage, which have in 
every age so gloriously distinguished Britons and English- 
men from the rest of mankind." 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 125 

of the first good effects of my having learned a little 
to scribble; another was, that the leading men, see- 
ing a newspaper now in the hands of those who could 
also handle a pen, thought it convenient to oblige and 
encourage me. Bradford still printed the votes, and 
laws, and other public business. He had printed an 
address of the House to the Governor, in a coarse, 
blundering manner; we reprinted it elegantly and 
correctly, and sent one to every member. They were 
sensible of the difLerence, it strengthened the hands 
of our friends in the House, and they voted us their 
printers for the year ensuing. 

Among my friends in the House I must not forget 
Mr. Hamilton, before mentioned, who was then re- 
turned from England, and had a seat in it. He in- 
terested himself for me strongly in that instance, as 
he did in many others afterwards, continuing his 
patronage till his death.* 

Mr. Vernon, about this time, put me in mind of 
the debt I owed him, but did not press me. I wrote 
to him an ingenuous letter of acknowledgment, crav- 
ing his forbearance a little longer, which he allowed 
me. As soon as I was able I paid the principal with 
the interest, and many thanks; so that erratum was 
in some degree corrected.! 

*I afterwards obtained for his &on five hundred pounds. 
f Many years afterwards he had an opportunity of dis- 
charging more completely this debt of gratitude. While 



126 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

But now another difficulty came upon me, which I 
had never the least reason to expect. Mr. Mere- 
dith's father, who was to have paid for our printing- 
house, according to the expectations given me, was 
able to advance only one hundred pounds currency, 
which had been paid ; and a hundred more were due 
to the merchant, who grew impatient, and sued us 
all. We gave bail, but saw that if the money could 
not be raised in time, the suit must soon come to a 
judgment and execution, and our hopeful prospects 
must with us be ruined, as the press and letters must 
be sold for payment, perhaps at half-price. 

In this distress two true friends, whose kindness I 
have never forgotten, nor ever shall forget while I 
can remember anything, came to me separately, un- 
known to each other, and, without any application 
from me, offered each of them to advance me all the 
money that should be necessary to enable me to take 
the whole business upon myself, if that should be 
practicable; but they did not like my continuing the 
partnership with Meredith, who, as they said, was 
often seen drunk in the street, playing at low games 
in ale-houses, much to our discredit. These two 
friends were William Coleman and Eobert Grace. I 

he was minister plenipotentiaiy from the United States at 
the court of France, he rendered very important service to 
a young man, a descendant of Mr. Vernon, who passed 
some time in that country. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 127 

told them I could not propose a separation, while any 
prospect remained of the Merediths fulfilling their 
part of our agreement, because I thought myself 
under great obligations to them for what they had 
done and would do if they could ; but if they finally 
failed in their performance, and our partnership 
must be dissolved, I should then think myself at lib- 
erty to accept the assistance of my friends. 

Thus the matter rested for some time, when I said 
to my partner, " Perhaps your father is dissatisfied at 
the part you have undertaken in this affair of ours, 
and is unwilling to advance for you and me what he 
would for you. If that is the case tell me, and I will 
resign the whole to you, and go about my business." 
"No," said he, "my father has really been disap- 
pointed, and is really unable, and I am unwilling to 
distress him further. I see this is a business I am not 
fit for. I was bred a farmer, and it was folly in me 
to come to town and put myself, at thirty years of 
age, an apprentice to learn a new trade. Many of 
our Welsh people are going to settle in North Caro- 
lina, where land is cheap. I am inclined to go with 
them, and follow my old employment; you may find 
friends to assist you. If you will take the debts of 
the company upon you, return to my father the hun- 
dred pounds he has advanced, pay my little personal 
debts, and give me thirty pounds and a new saddle, 
I will relinquish the partnership and leave the whole 



128 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

in your hands." I agreed to this proposal; it was 
drawn up in writing, signed, and sealed immediately. 
I gave him what he demanded, and he went soon 
after to Carolina; whence he sent me next year two 
long letters, containing the best account that had 
been given of that country, the climate, and soil, and 
husbandry, for in those matters he was very judicious. 
I printed them in the papers, and they gave great 
satisfaction to the public. 

As soon as he was gone I recurred to my two 
friends, and because I would not give an unkind pref- 
erence to either, I took half of what each had offered 
and I wanted of one, and half of the other; paid off 
the company's debts, and went on with the business 
in my own name, advertising that the partnership 
was dissolved. I think this was in or about the year 
1729.* 

*The dissolution of the partnership was a year later, as 
appears by the following agreement, transcribed from the 
original in Franklin's handwriting. 

"Beit remembered, that Hugh Meredith and Benjamin 
Franklin have this day separated as partners, and will 
henceforth act each on his own account ; and that the said 
Hugh Meredith, for a valuable consideration by him re- 
ceived from the said Benjamin Franklin, hath relinquished, 
and doth hereby relinquish, to the said Franklin, all claim, 
right, or property to or in the printing materials and stock 
heretofore jointly possessed by them in partnership : and to 
all debts due to them as partners, in the course of their 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 129 

About this time there was a cry among the people 
for more paper-money ; only fifteen thousand pounds 
being extant in the province, and tliat soon to be 
sunk. The wealthy inhabitants opposed any addi- 
tion, being against all paper currency, from the ap- 
prehension that it would depreciate as it had done in 
New England, to the injury of all creditors. We 
had discussed this point in our Junto, where I was 
on the side of an addition, being persuaded that 
the first small sum struck in 1723 had done much 
good by increasing the trade, employment, and num- 
ber of inhabitants in the province, since I now 
saw all the old houses inhabited, and many new 
ones building; whereas I remembered well, when 
I first walked about the streets of Philadelphia, 
eating my roll, I €aw many of the houses in Walnut 
Street, between Second and Front Streets, with bills 
on their doors, "To he Xe/f," and many likewise in 
Chestnut Street and other streets, which made me 
think the inhabitants of the city were, one after 
another, deserting it. 

Our debates possessed me so fully of the subject, 
that I wrote and printed an anonymous pamphlet on it, 
entitled, The Nature and Necessity of a Pa^er Cur- 

business : which are all from henceforth the sole property 
of the said Benjamin Franklin. In witness whereof I have 
hereunto set my hand, this 14th day of July, 1730. 

"Hugh Meredith." 
9 



130 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

rency.^ It was well received by the common people 
in general ; but the rich men disliked it, for it in- 

*"It is little known, or set down to- the commendatioD of 
-Franklin, that, when he was young in business, and stood 
in need of sundry articles in the lino of his profession as a 
^printer, he had the ingenuity to make them for himself. 
In this way he founded letters of lead, engraved various 
printing ornaments, cut woodcuts, made printer's ink, en- 
graved copperplate vignettes, ana made his plate-press." 
— Wsitson's Annals of Philadelphia, p. 513, 

Mr. Watson relates another anecdote. He says that the 
*' yellow willow-tree," now so common throughout the 
country, was first introduced into America by Franklin. 
A wicker basket made of willow, in which some foreign 
article had been imported, he saw sprouting in a ditch, and 
directed some of the twigs to be planted. They took root, 
and from these shoots are supposed to have sprung all the 
yellow willows which have grown on this side of the At- 
lantic. 

Chaptal ascribes to Franklin, also, the introduction of 
the agricultural use of plaster of Paris into the United 
States. " As this celebrated philosopher, " says he, " wished 
that the effects of this manure should strike the gaze of all 
cultivators, he wrote in great letters, formed by the use of 
the ground plaster, in a field of clover lying upon the great 
road, * This has been 2ilastered. ' The prodigious vegeta- 
tion, which was developed in the plastered portion, led 
him to adopt this method. Volumes upon the excellency 
of plaster would not have produced so speedy a revolution. 
Prom that- period the Americans have imported great 
quantities of plaster of Paris. — Chaptal's, Agriculhual 
'Chemistry, Boston edition, p. 73. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 131 

creased and strengthened the clamour for more 
money; and, they happening to have no writers 
among them that were able to answer it, their oppo- 
sition slackened, and the point was carried by a ma- 
jority in the House. My friends there, who consid- 
ered I had been of some service, thought fit to reward 
me by employing me in printing the money; a very 
profitable job, and a great help to me. This was 
another advantage gained by being able to write. 

The utility of this currency became by time and 
experience so evident, that the principles upon which 
it was founded were never afterwards much disputed ; 
so that it grew soon to fifty-five thousand pounds; and 
in 1739, to eighty thousand pounds; trade, building, 
and inhabitants all the while increasing. Though I 
now think there are limits, beyond which the quan- 
tity may be hurtful. 

I soon after obtained, through my friend Hamil- 
ton, the printing of the Newcastle paper money, 
another profitable job, as I then thought it; small 
things appearing great to those in small circum- 
stances ; and these to me were really great advantages, 
as they were great encouragements. Mr. Hamilton 
procured for me also the printing of the laws and 
votes of that government; which continued in my 
hands as long as I followed the business. 

I now opened a small stationer's shop. I had in it 
blanks of all kinds; the correctest that ever appeared 



132 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

among ns. I was assisted in that by my friend 
Breintnal. I had also paper, parchment, chapmen's 
books, &c. One Whitemarsh, a compositor I had 
known in London, an excellent workman, now came 
to me, and worked with me constantly and diligently ; 
and I took an apprentice, the son of Aquila Rose. 

I began now gradually to pay off the debt I was 
under for the printing-house. In order to secure my 
credit and character as a tradesman, I took care not 
only to be in reality industrious and frugal, but to 
avoid the appearances to the contrary. I dressed 
plain, and was seen at no places of idle diversion. I 
never vs^ent out afishing or shooting; a book indeed 
sometimes debauched me from my work, but that was 
seldom, was private, and gave no scandal ; and, to 
show that I was not above my business, I sometimes 
brought home the paper I purchased at the stores, 
through the streets on a wheelbarrow. Thus being 
esteemed an industrious, thriving young man, and 
paying duly for what I boaght, the merchants who 
imported stationery solicited my custom ; others pro- 
posed supplying me with books, and I went on pros- 
perously. In the mean time, Keimer's credit and 
business declining daily, he was at last forced to sell 
his printing-house, to satisfy his creditors. He went 
to Barbadoes, and there lived some years in very poor 
circumstances. 

His apprentice, David Harry, whom I had in- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 133 

structed while I worked with him, set up in his place 
at Philadelphia, having bought his materials. I was 
at first apprehensive of a powerful rival in Harry, as 
his friends were very able, and had a good deal of in- 
terest. I therefore proposed a partnership to him, 
which he, fortunately for me, rejected with scorn, 
lie was very proud, dressed like a gentleman, lived 
expensively, took much diversion and pleasure abroad, 
ran in debt, and neglected his business; upon which 
all business left him, and finding nothing to do he 
followed Keimer to Barbadoes, taking the printing- 
house with him. There this apprentice employed 
his former master as a journeyman ; they quarrelled 
often, and Harry went continually behindhand, and 
at length was obliged to sell his types and return to 
country work in Pennsylvania. The person who 
bought them employed Keimer to use them, but a 
few years after he died. 

There remained now no other printer in Philadel- 
phia, but the old Bradford; but he was rich and 
easy, did a little in the business by straggling hands, 
but was not anxious about it. However, as he held 
tlie post-office, it was imagined he had better oppor- 
tunities of obtaining news, his paper was thought a 
better distributer of advertisements than mine, and 
therefore had many more; which was a profitable 
thing to him, and a disadvantage to me. For, 
though I did indeed receive and send papers by the 



134 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

post, yet the public opinion was otherwise ; for what 
I did send was by bribing the riders, who took them 
privately; Bradford being unkind enough to forbid 
it, which occasioned some resentment on my part; 
and I thought so meanly of the practice, that, when 
I afterwards came into his situation, I took care 
never to imitate it. 

I had hitherto continued to board with Godfrey, 
who lived in a part of my house with his wife and 
children, and had one side of the shop for his glazier's 
business, though he worked little, being always ab- 
sorbed in his mathematics. Mrs. Godfrey projected 
a match for me, with a relation's daughter; took op- 
portunities of bringing us often together, till a seri- 
ous courtship on my part ensued, the girl being in 
herself very deserving. The old folks encouraged me 
by continual invitations to supper, and by leaving us 
together, till at length it was time to explain. Mrs. 
Godfrey managed our little treaty. I let her know 
that I expected as much money with their daughter 
as would pay off my remaining debt for the printing- 
house; which I believe was not then above a hundred 
pounds. She brought me word they had no such 
sum to spare; I said they might mortgage their house 
in the loan-office. The answer to this, after some 
days, was, that they did not approve the match; 
that, on inquiry of Bradford, they had been informed 
the printing business was not a profitable one, the 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 135 

types would soon be worn out and more wanted ; that 
Keimer and David Harry had failed one after the 
other, and I should probably soon follow them ; and 
therefore I was forbidden the house, and the daugh- 
ter was shut up. 

Whether this was a real change of sentiment or 
only artifice, on a supposition of our being too fur 
engaged in affection to retract, and therefore that we 
should steal a marriage, which would leave them at 
liberty to give or withhold what they pleased, I know 
not. But I suspected the motive, resented it, and 
went no more. Mrs. Godfrey brought me afterwards 
some more favourable accounts of their disposition, 
and would have drawn me on again ; but I declared 
absolutely my resolution to have nothing more to do 
with that family. This was resented by the God- 
freys; we differed, and they removed, leaving me the 
whole house, and I resolved to take no more inmates. 

But this affair having turned my thoughts to mar- 
riage, I looked round me and made overtures of ac- 
quaintance in other places; but soon found, that, the 
business of a printer being generally thought a poor 
one, I was not to expect money with a wife, unless 
with such a one as I should not otherwise think 
agreeable. 

A friendly correspondence as neighbours had con- 
tinued between me and Miss Bead's family, who all 
had a regard for me from the time of my first lodging 



136 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

in their house. I was often invited there and con- 
sulted in their affairs, wherein I sometimes was of 
service. I pitied poor Miss Head's unfortunate situ- 
ation, who was generally dejected, seldom cheerful, 
and avoided company. I considered my giddiness 
and inconstancy when in London, as in a great degree 
the cause of her unhappiness; though the mother was 
good enough to think the fault more her own than 
mine, as she had prevented our marrying before I 
went thither, and persuaded the other match in my 
absence. Our mutual affection was revived, but 
there were now great objections to our union. That 
match was indeed looked upon as invalid, a preced- 
ing wife being said to be living in England ; but this 
could not easily be proved, because of the distance, 
&c. ; and, though there was a report of his death, it 
was not certain. Then, though it should be true, 
he had left many debts, which his successor might 
be called upon to pay. We ventured, however, over 
all these difficulties, and I took her to wife, Septem- 
ber 1st, 1730. None of the inconveniences happened 
that we had apprehended ; she proved a good and 
faithful helpmate, assisted me much by attending to 
the shop; we throve together, and ever mutually en- 
deavoured to make each other happy. Thus I cor- 
rected that great erratum as well as I could. 

About this time, our club meeting, not at a tavern, 
but in a little room of Mr. Grace's, set apart for that 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 137 

purpose, a proposition was made by me, that, since 
our books were often referred to in our disquisitions 
upon the queries, it might be convenient to us to 
have them all together where we met that upon occa- 
sion they might be consulted ; and by thus clubbing 
our books in a common library, we should, while we 
liked to keep them together, have each of us the ad- 
vantage of using the books of all the other members, 
which would be nearly as beneficial as if each owii.ed 
the whole. It was liked and agreed to, and we filled 
one end of the room with such books as we could best 
spare. The number was not so great as we expected; 
and, though they had been of great use, yet some in- 
conveniences occurring for want of due care of them, 
the collection after about a year was separated ; and 
each took his books home again. 

And now I set on foot my first project of a public 
nature — that for a subscription library. I drew up 
the proposals, got them put into form by our great 
scrivener, Brockden, and by the help of my friends 
in the Junto, procured fifty subscribers of forty shil- 
lings each to begin with, and ten shillings a j'ear for 
fifty years, the term ohr company was to continue. 
We afterwards obtained a charter, the company being 
increased to one hundred. This was the mother of 
all the North American subscription libraries, now so 
numerous; it is become a great thing itself, and con- 
tinually goes on increasing. These libraries have im- 



138 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

proved the general conversation of the Americans, 
made the common tradesmen and farmers as intelli- 
gent as most gentlemen from other countries, and 
perhaps have contributed in some degree to the stand 
so generally made throughout the colonies in defence 
of their privileges. 



CHAPTER VL* 

THE ART OF VIRTUE. 

At the time I established myself in Pennsylvania, 
there was not a good bookseller's shop in any of the 
colonies to the southward of Boston. In New York 
and Philadelphia, the printers were indeed station- 

* Down to this period the Memoir was written in the year 
1771, and the task was then laid aside for several years. 
In the meantime, the manuscript was shown to several of 
the author's friends, who pressed him to complete what he 
had begun. He accordingly yielded to their solicitations, 
and, to the part Avith which this chapter commences, he 
prefixed the following introductory remarks, and also the 
two letters to which he alludes : — 

" Continuation of the Account of my Life, begun at 
Passy, near Paris, 1874. 

"It is some time since I received the above letters, but I 
have been too busy till now to think of complying with tlie 
request they contain. It might, too, be much better done 
if I were at home among my papers, vrhich would aid my 
memory, and help to ascertain dates ; but my return beiug 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 139 

ers; but they sold only paper, almanacs, ballads, and 
a few common school-books. Those who loved read- 
ing were obliged to send for their books from Eng- 
land ; the members of the Junto had each a few. We 
had left the ale-house, where we first met, and hired 
a room to hold our club in. I proposed that we 
should all of us bring our books to that room, where 
they would not only be ready to consult in our con- 
ferences, but become a common benefit, each of us 
being at liberty to borroAV such as he wished to read 
at home. This was accordingly done, and for some 
time contented us. 

Finding the advantage of this little collection, 
I proposed to render the benefit from the books 
more common, by commencing a public subscription 

uncertain, and having just now a little leisure, I will en- 
deavour to recollect and write what I can ; if I live to get 
home, it may there be corrected and improved. 

" Not having any copy here of what is already written, I 
know not whether any account is given of the means I used 
to establish the Philadelphia public library ; which from a 
small beginning is now become so considerable. Though 
I remember to have come down to near the time of that 
transaction (1730). I will therefore begin here with an 
account of it, which may be struck out if found to have 
been already given." 

The letters referred to were from his friends, Benjamin 
Vaughan and Abel James. They may be found in the 
Correspondence, vol. ix. , p. 478, under the date of January 
31st, 1783. 



140 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

library. I drew a sketch of the plan and rules that 
would be necessary, and got a skilful conveyancer, 
Mr. Charles Brockden, to put the whole in form of 
articles of agreement to be subscribed; by which each 
subscriber engaged to pay a certain sum down for the 
first purchase of the books, and an annual contribu- 
tion for increasing them. So few were the readers at 
that time in Philadelphia, and the majority of us so 
poor, that I was not able with great industry to find 
more than fifty persons, mostly young tradesmen, 
willing to pay down for this purpose forty shillings 
each, and ten shillings per annum. With this little 
fund we began. The books were imported. The 
library was opened one day in the week for lending 
them to subscribers, on their promissory notes to pay 
double the value if not duly returned. The institu- 
tion soon manifested its utility, was imitated by other 
towns, and in other provinces. The libraries were 
augmented by donations, reading became fashionable; 
and our people having no public amusements to di- 
vert their attention from study, became better ac- 
quainted with books, and in a few years were observed 
by strangers to be better instructed and more intelli- 
gent than people of the same rank generally are in 
other countries. 

When we were about to sign the above-mentioned 
articles, which were to be binding on us, our heirs, 
&c., for fifty years, Mr. Brockden. the scrivener, said 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 141 

to us, " You are young men, but it is scarcely probable 
that any of you will live to see the expiration of the 
term fixed in the instrument." A number of us, how- 
ever, are yet living; but the instrument was after a 
few years rendered null, by a charter that incorporated 
and gave perpetuity to the company.* 

The objections and reluctances I met with in solic- 
iting the subscriptions made me soon feel the impro- 
priety of presenting one's self as the proposer of any 
useful project that might be supposed to raise one's 
reputation in the smallest degree above that of one's 
neighbours, when one has need of their assistance to 
accomplish that project. I therefore put myself as 
much as I could out of sight, and stated it as a scheme 
of a numher of friends^ who had requested me to go 
about and propose it to such as they thought lovers 
of reading. lu this way my affair went on more 

*It appears by a statement in Mr. Smith's "Notes for a 
History of the Library Company of Philadelphia," that the 
above " iustnunent" was dated July 1st, 1731. The charter 
of incorporation was obtained from the Proprietaries of 
Pennsylvania in 1742. Franklin's name stands at the head 
of the list of the persons who applied for the charter, and to 
whom it was granted. The library has grown to be one of 
the largest in America. The spacious and handsome 
edifice, in which it is contained, was erected but a short 
time before Dr. Franklin's death. It is stated in the minutes 
of the Library Company, as quoted by Mr. Smith, "that, 
upon the suggestion of Dr. Franklin, a large stone was pre- 
pared, and laid at the south-east corner of the building. 



142 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

smoothly, and I ever afterwards practised it on such 
occasions; and, from my frequent successes, can heart- 
ily recommend it. The present little sacrifice of your 
yanity will afterwards be amply repaid. If it remains 
a while uncertain to whom the merit belongs, some 
one more vain than yourself may be encouraged to 
claim it, and then even envy will be disposed to do 
you justice, by plucking those assumed feathers, and 
restoring them to their right owner. 

with the following inscription, composed by tlie Doctor, 
except so far as relates to himself, which the Committee 
have taken the liberty of adding to it. 

"'Be it remembered, 

In honour of the Philadelphia Youth, 

(Then chiefly artificers, ) 

That in MDCCXXXI, 

They cheerfully 

At the Instance of Benjamin Franklin, 

One of their Number, 

Instituted the Philadelphia Library, 

Which, though small at first. 

Is become highly valuable, and extensively useful, 

And which the Walls of this Edifice 

Are now destined to contain and preserve ; 

The first Stone of whose Foundation 

Was here placed 

The 31st of August, MDCCLXXXIX. '" 

The marble statue of Dr. Franklin, which occupies a 
niche in front of the building, was executed in Italy, and 
presented to the Library Company by Mr. William Bingham. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 143 

This library afforded me the means of improvement 
by constant study, for which I set apart an hour or 
two each day, and thus repaired in some degree the 
loss of the learned education my father once intended 
for me. Reading was the only amusement I allowed 
myself. I spent no time in taverns, games, or frolics 
of any kind ; and my industry in my business contin- 
ued as indefatigable as it was necessary. I was in- 
debted for my printing-house ; I had a young family 
coming on to be educated, and I had two competitors 
to contend with for business who were established in 
the place before me. My circumstances, however, 
grew daily easier. My original habits of frugality 
continuing, and my father having, among his instruc- 
tions to me when a boy, frequently repeated a proverb 
of Solomon, " Seest tliou a man diligent in Ids caUing^ 
he shall stand before hings^ he shall not stand before 
mean men.," I thence considered industry as a means 
of obtaining wealth and distinction, which encour- 
aged me, — though I did not think that I should ever 
literally stand before kings., which however has since 
happened; for I have stood before ^2'e, and even had 
the honour of sitting down with one, the King of 
Denmark, to dinner. 

We have an English proverb that says, "i7e tliat 
would thrive must ash his wife." It was lucky for 
me that I had one as much disposed to industry and 
frugality as myself. She assisted me cheerfully in 



144 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

my business, folding and stitching pamphlets, tend- 
ing shop, purchasing old linen rags for the paper- 
makers, &c. We kept no idle servants, our table was 
plain and simple, our furniture of the cheapest. For 
instance, my breakfast was for a long time bread - 
and-milk (no tea), and I ate it out of a two-penny 
earthen porringer, with a pewter spoon. But mark 
how luxury will enter families, and make a progress, 
in spite of principle; being called one morning to 
breakfast, I found it in a china bowl, with a spoon 
of silver! They had been bought for me without my 
knowledge by my wife, and had cost her the enor- 
mous sum of three-and-twenty shillings; for which 
she had no other excuse or apology to make, but that 
she thought her husband deserved a silver spoon and 
china bowl as well as any of his neighbours. This 
was the first appearance of plate and china in our 
house; which afterwards, in a course of years, as our 
wealth increased, augmented gradually to several 
hundred pounds in value. 

I had been religiously educated as a Presbyterian; 
but, though some of the dogmas of that persuasion, 
such as the eternal decrees of God, election, reprobation., 
<&e., appeared to me unintelligible, others doubtful, 
and I early absented myself from the public assem- 
blies of the sect, Sunday being my studying day, I 
never was without some religious principles. I never 
doubted, for instance, the existence of a Deity — that 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 145 

he made the world and governed it by his providence — 
that the most acceptable service of God was the do- 
ing good to man — that our souls are immortal — and 
that all crimes will be punished, and virtue rewarded, 
either here or hereafter. These I esteemed the es- 
sentials of every religion; and, being to be found in 
all the religions we had in our country, I respected 
them all, though with different degrees of respect, 
as I found them more or less mixed with other arti- 
cles, which, without any tendency to inspire, pro- 
mote, or confirm morality, served principally to divide 
us, and make us unfriendly to one another. This 
respect to all, with an opinion that the worst had 
some good effects, induced me to avoid all discourse 
that might tend to lessen the good opinion another 
might have of his own religion ; and as our province 
increased in people, and new places of worship were 
continually wanted, and generally erected by volun- 
tary contribution, my mite for such purpose, what- 
ever might be the sect, was never refused. 

Though I seldom attended any j)ublic worship, I 
had still an opinion of its propriety, and of its util- 
ity, when rightly conducted, and I regularly paid my 
annual subscription for the support of the only Pres- 
byterian minister or meeting we had in Philadelphia. 
He used to visit me sometimes as a friend, and ad- 
monish me to attend his administrations; and I was 
now and then prevailed on to do so; once for five 
10 



146 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Sundays successively. Had he been in my opinion a 
good preacher, perhaps I might have continued, not- 
withstanding the occasion I had for the Sunday's 
leisure in my course of study; but his discourses were 
chiefly either polemic arguments or explications of 
the peculiar doctrines of our sect, and were all to me 
very dry, uninteresting, and unedifying; since not a 
single moral principle was inculcated or enforced; 
their aim seeming to be rather to make us Presly- 
terians than good citizens. 

At length he took for his text that verse of the 
fourth chapter to the Philippians, "Finally, dreth- 
ren^ ivhatsoever tlmigs are true., honest, just, pure, 
lovely, or of good rejjort, if tliere he any virtue, or any 
praise, think on these tilings.'' And I imagined, in a 
sermon on such a text, we could not miss of having 
some morality. But he confined himself to five 
points only, as meant by the apostle: 1. Keeping 
holy the Sabbath day. 2. Being diligent in reading 
the holy Scriptures. 3. Attending duly the public 
worship. 4. Partaking of the Sacrament. 5. Pay- 
ing a due respect to God's ministers. These might 
be all good things; but, as they were not the kind of 
good things that I expected from that text, I de- 
spaired of ever meeting with them from any other, 
was disgusted, and attended his preaching no more. 
I had some years before composed a little liturgy, or 
form of prayer, for my own private use (in 1728), 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 147 

entitled Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion. I 
returned to tlie use of this, and went no more to the 
public assemblies. My conduct might be blamable, 
but I leave it, without attempting further to excuse 
it; my present purpose being to relate facts, and not 
to make apologies for them.* 

It was about this time I conceived the bold and 
arduous project of arriving at 7noral perfection. I 

*In Mr. Walsh's "Life of Franklin," published in Dela- 
plaine's Repository, there is an extract, copied from an 
original paper in Franklin's handwriting, which claims 
insertion in this place, as connected with the subject upon 
which the author is now about to speak — 

"Those who write of the art of poetry," says Franklin, 
" teach us tliat, if we would write what may be worth 
reading, we ought always, before w^e begin, to form a 
regular plan and design of our piece ; otherwise we shall be 
in danger of incongruity. I am apt to think it is the same 
as to life. I have never fixed a regular design in life, by 
which means it has been a confused variety of different 
scenes, I am now entering upon a new one ; let me, there- 
fore, make some resolutions, and form some scheme of 
action, that henceforth I may live in all respects like a 
rational creature. 

"1. It is necessary for me to be extremely frugal for some 
time, till I have paid what I owe. 

" 3. To endeavour to speak truth in every instance, to 
give nobody expectations that are not likely to be answered, 
but aim at sincerity in everj^ word and action ; the most 
amiable excellence in a rational being. 

" 3. To apply myself industriously to whatever business I 



143 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

wished to live without committing any fault at any 
time, and to conquer all that either natural inclina- 
tion, custom, or company might lead me into. As I 
knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, 
I did not see why I might not always do the one and 
avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken 
a task of more difficulty than I had imagined. 
While my attention was taken up, and care em- 
ployed, guarding against one fault, I was often sur- 
prised by another; habit took the advantage of in- 
attention; inclination was sometimes too strong for 
reason. I concluded at length, that ^he mere specu- 
lative conviction, that it was our inl rest to be com- 
pletely virtuous, was not sufficient to prevent our 
slipping; and that the contrary habits must be 
broken, and good ones acquired and established, be- 
fore we can have any dependence on a steady, uniform 
rectitude of conduct. For this purpose I therefore 
tried the following method. 

In the various enumerations of the moral virtues I 
had met with in my reading, I found the catalogue 

take in hand, and not divert my mind from my business 
by any foolish project of growing suddenly rich; for in- 
dustry and patience are the surest means of plenty. 

"4. I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in 
a matter of truth ; but rather by some means excuse the 
faults I hear charged upon others, and, upon proper oc- 
casions, speak all the good I know of everybody. " 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 149 

more or less numerous, as different writers included 
more or fewer ideas under the same name. Temper- 
ance^ for example, was by some confined to eating and 
drinking; while by others it was extended to mean 
the moderating every other pleasure, appetite, incli- 
nation, or passion, bodily or mental, even to our ava- 
rice and ambition. I proposed to myself, for the sake 
of clearness, to use rather more names, with fewer 
ideas annexed to each, than a few names with more 
ideas; and I included under thirteen names of vir- 
tues, all that at that time occurred to me as necessary 
or desirable ; and annexed to each a short precept, 
which fully expressed the extent I gave to its meaning. 
These names of virtues, with their precepts, were: 

1. Temperance. — Eat not to duluess; drink not 
to elevation. 

2. Silence. — Speak not but what may benefit 
others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation. 

3. Order. — Let all your things have their places; 
let each part of your business have its time. 

4. Resolution. — Resolve to perform what you 
ought; perform without fail what you resolve. 

5. Frugality. — Make no expense but to do good 
to others or yourself; that is, waste nothing. 

6. Industry. — Lose no time; be always employed 
in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions. 

7. Sincerity. — Use no hurtful deceit; think inno- 
cently and justly ; and, if you speak, speak accordingly. 



150 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

8. Justice. — Wrong none by doing injuries, or 
omitting the benefits that are your duty. 

9. Moderation. — Avoid extremes; forbear resent- 
ing injuries so much as you think they deserve. 

10. Cleanliness. — Tolerate no uncleanliness in 
body, clothes, or habitation. 

11. Tranquillity. — Be not disturbed at trifles, or 
at accidents common or unavoidable. 

12. Chastity 

13. Humility. — Imitate Jesus and Socrates. 

My intention being to acquire the habitude of all 
these virtues, I judged it would be well not to dis- 
tract my attention by attempting the whole at once, 
but to fix it on one of them at a time; and, when I 
should be master of that, then to proceed to another; 
and so on, till I should have gone through the thir- 
teen. And, as the previous acquisition of some 
might facilitate the acquisition of certain others, I 
arranged them with that view, as they stand above. 
Temperance first, as it tends to procure that coolness 
and clearness of head, which is so necessary, where 
constant vigilance was to be kept up, and a guard 
maintained against the unremitting attraction of an- 
cient habits, and the force of perpetual temptations. 
This being acquired and established. Silence would ])e 
more easy; and my desire being to gain knowledge, 
at the same time that I improved in virtue, and con- 
sidering that in conversation it was obtained rather 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 151 

by the use of the ear than of the tongue, and there- 
fore wishing to break a habit I was getting into of 
prattling, punning, and jesting, which only made me 
acceptable to trifling company, I gave Silence the 
second place. This and the next, Crdei\ I expected, 
would allow me more time for attending to my 
project and my studies. Resolution^ once become 
habitual, would keep me firm in my endeavours to 
obtain all the subsequent virtues; Frugality and In- 
dustry relieving me from my remaining debt, and 
producing affluence and independence, would make 
more easy the practice of Sincerity and Justice, &c., 
&c. Conceiving then, that, agreeably to the advice 
of Pythagoras in his Golden Verses^ daily examina- 
tion would be necessary, I contrived the following 
method for conducting that examination. 

I made a little book, in which I allotted a page for 
each of the virtues. I ruled each page with red ink, 
so as to have seven columns, one for each day of the 
week, marking each column with a letter for the day. 
I crossed these columns with thirteen red lines, 
marking the beginning of each line with the first let- 
ter of one of the virtues; on which line, and in its 
proper column, I might mark, by a little black spot, 
every fault I found upon examination to have been 
committed respecting that virtue, upon that day.* 

*This little book is dated Sunday, 1st July, 1733. 

In a letter written by the author to Lord Karnes, in No- 



152 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



FORM OF THE PAGES. 

TEMPERANCE. 

Eat not to dulness ; drink not to elevation. 





Sun. 


M. 


T. 


W. 


Th. 


F. 


s. 


Tern. 
















Sil. 


* 


* 




* 




* 




Ord. 


* 


jf- 






* 


* 


3f 


Res. 




* 








» 




Frii. 




* 








* 




Ind. 






* 










Sine. 
















Jus. 
















Mod. 
















Clea. 
















Trans. 
















Chas. 
















Hum. 

















vember, 1761, he thus alludes to the scheme here men- 
tioned, and to the design he then had of expanding it into 
a treatise on the Art of Virtue. In that letter he says : " To 
produce the number of valuable men necessary in a nation 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 153 

I determined to give a week's strict attention to 
each of the virtues successively. Thus, in the first 
week, my great guard was to avoid every the least 
cUence against Temjjerance^ leaving the other virtues 
to their ordinary chance, only marking every evening 
the faults of the day. Thus, if in the first week I 
could keep my first line marked T, clear of spots, I 
supposed the habit of that virtue so much strength- 
ened, and its opposite weakened, that I might ven- 
ture extending my attention to include the next, and 
for the following week keep both lines clear of spots. 
Proceeding thus to the last, 1 could get through a 

for its prosperity, there is much more hope from schemes 
of early institution than from reformation. And, as the 
power of a single man to do national service in particular 
situations of influence is often immensely great, a M^riter 
can hardh'^ conceive the good he may be doing when en- 
gaged in works of this kind. I cannot, therefore, but wish 
you would publish it ["Elements of Criticism"] as soon as 
your other important employments will permit you to give 
it the finishing hand. With these sentiments you will not 
doubt my being serious in the intention of finishing my 
Art of Virtue. It is not a mere ideal work. I planned it 
first in 1733. I have from time to time made, and caused 
to be made, experiments of the method with success. The 
materials have been growing ever since. The form only is 
now to be given, in which I purpose employing my first 
leisure after my return to my o^/ie?' country. " This pro- 
ject, as will be seen hereafter, was never carried into 
effect. 



154 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

course complete in thirteen weeks, and four courseB 
in a year. And like him, who, having a garden to 
weed, does not attempt to eradicate all the bad herbs 
at once, which would exceed his reach and his 
strength, but works on one of the beds at a time, 
and, having accomplished the first, proceeds to a 
second ; so I should have, I hoped, the encouraging 
pleasure of seeing on my pages the progress made in 
virtue by clearing successively my lines of their spots, 
till in the end, by a number of courses, I should be 
happy in viewing a clean book after a thirteen weeks' 
daily examination. 

This my little book had for its motto, these lines 
from Addison's Cato: 

" Here will I hold. If there's a power above us, 
(And that there is all nature cries aloud 
Through all her v^'orks) , He must delight in virtue ; 
And that which He delights in must be happy." 

Another from Cicero: 

"Ovitse Philosophia dux! O virtutum indagatrix ex- 
pultrixque vitiorum ! Unus dies, bene et ex prseceptis tuis 
actus, peccanti immortalitati est anteponendus." 

Another from the Proverbs of Solomon, speaking 
of wisdom or virtue : 

" Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 155 

hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasant- 
ness, and all her paths are peace. " 

And conceiving God to be the fountain of wisdom, 
1 thought it right and necessary to solicit His assist- 
ance for obtaining it; to this end I formed the fol- 
lowing little prayer, which was prefixed to my tables 
of examination, for daily use. 

"O powerful Goodness! bountiful Father! merciful 
Guide ! Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my 
truest interest. Strengthen my resolution to perform what 
that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices to Thy other 
children, as the only return in my power for Thy continual 
favours to me. " 

I used also sometimes a little prayer which I took 
from Thomson's Poems, viz. : 

"Father of light and life, Thou Good Supreme ! 
O teach me what is good ; teach me Thyself ! 
Save me from folly, vanity, and vice, 
From every low pursuit ; and feed my soul 
With knowledge, conscious peace, and virtue pure, 
Sacred, substantial, never-fading bliss !" 

The precept of Order requiring that every part of 
my business slioulcl have its allotted time, one page in 
my little book contained the following scheme of 
employment for the twenty-four hours of a natural 
day. 



156 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



SCHEME. 



Morning. 

The Question. What 
good shall I do this day ? 



Noon. 



Afternoon. 



Evening. 



Hours. 



Eise, wash, and address 
Powerful Goodness ! Con- 
trive day's business, and 
I take the resolution of the 
1 day ; prosecute the present 
j study, and breakfast. 



Work. 



j 12 ) Read, or look over my 




accounts, and dine. 



Work. 



The Question. What 
good have I done to-day? 



Night. 



their 
Music 



g ^ Put things in 

r. I places. Supper. 

g J- or diversion, or conversa- 

Q I tion. Examination of the 

^ J day. 



flOl 
11 
12 

1 

2 

3 

4j 



Sleep. 



I entered upon the execution of this plan for self- 
examination, and continued it with occasional inter- 
missions for some time. I was surprised to find my- 
self so much fuller of faults than I had imagined ; but 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 157 

I had the satisfaction of seeing them diminish. To 
avoid the trouble of renewing now and then my little 
book, which, by scraping out the marks on the paper 
of old faults, to make room for new ones in a new 
course, became full of holes, I transferred my tables 
and precepts to the ivory leaves of a memorandum 
book, on which the lines were drawn with red ink, 
that made a durable stain; and on those lines I 
marked my faults with a black-lead pencil, which 
marks I could easily wipe out with a wet sponge. 
After awhile I went through one course only in a 
year, and afterwards only one in several years, till at 
length I omitted them entirely, being employed in 
voyages and business abroad with a maltiplicity of 
affairs, that interfered ; but I always carried my little 
book with me. 

My scheme of Orde7' gave me the most trouble: 
and I found that, though it might be practicable 
where a man's business was such as to leave him the 
disposition of his time, that of a journeyman printer 
for instance, it was not possible to be exactly observed 
by a master, who must mix with the world, and often 
receive people of business at their own hours. Order, 
too, with regard to places for things, papers, &c., I 
found extremely difficult to acquire. I had not been 
early accustomed to method^ and, having an exceed- 
ingly good memory, I was not so sensible of the 
inconvenience attending want of method. This arti- 



158 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

cle, therefore, cost me much painful attention, and 
my faults in it vexed me so much, and I made little 
progress in amendment, and had such frequent re- 
lapses, that I was almost ready to give vip the attempt, 
and content myself with a faulty character in that 
respect. Like the man who, in buying an axe of a 
smith, my neighbour, desired to have the whole of 
its surface as bright as the edge. The smith con- 
sented to grind it bright for him, if he would turn 
the wheel; he turned, while the smith pressed the 
broad face of the axe hard and heavily on the stone, 
which made the turning of it very fatiguing. The 
man came every now and then from the wheel to see 
how the work went on, and at length would take his 
axe as it was, without further grinding. " No," said 
the smith, " turn on, turn on, we shall have it bright 
by and by; as yet it is only speckled." "Yes," 
said the man, " but / thmk I like a speckled axe iest." 
And I believe this may have been the case with many, 
who, having for want of some such means as I em- 
ployed found the difficulty of obtaining good and 
breaking bad habits in other points of vicQ and virtue, 
have given up the struggle, and concluded that "« 
speckled axe is best." For something, that pretended 
to be reason, was every now and then suggesting to 
me, that such extreme nicety as I exacted of myself 
might be a kind of foppery in morals, which, if it 
were known, would make me ridiculous; that a per- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 159 

feet character might be attended with the incon- 
venience of being envied and hated; and that a 
benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, 
to keep his friends in countenance. 

In truth, I found myself incorrigible with respect 
to Order; and now I am grown old, and my memory 
bad, I feel very sensibly the want of it. But on the 
whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had 
been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, 
yet I was, by the endeavour, a better and a happier 
man than I otherwise should have been, if I had not 
attempted it; as those who aim at perfect writing by 
imitating the engraved copies, though they never 
reach the wished-for excellence of those copies, their 
hand is mended by the endeavour, and is tolerable 
while it continues fair and legible. 

It may be well my posterity should be informed, 
that to this little artifice, with the blessing of God, 
their ancestor owed the constant felicity of his life, 
down to his seventy-ninth year, in which this is writ- 
ten. What reverses may attend the remainder is in 
the hand of Providence; but, if they arrive, the re- 
flection on past happiness enjoyed ought to help his 
bearing them with more resignation. To Temperance 
he ascribes his long-continued health, and what is 
still left to him of a good constitution; to Industry 
and Frugality, the early easiness of his circumstances 
and acquisition of his fortune, with all the knowledge 



160 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

that enabled him to be a useful citizen, and obtained 
for him some degree of reputation among the learned ; 
to Sincerity and Justice, the confidence of his coun- 
try, and the honourable employs it conferred upon 
him; and to the joint influence of the whole mass of 
the virtues, even in the imperfect state he was able 
to acquire them, all that evenness of temper, and 
that cheerfulness in conversation, which makes his 
company still sought for, and agreeable even to his 
young acquaintance. I hope, therefore, that some of 
my descendants may follow the example and reap the 
benefit. 

It will be remarked that, though my scheme was 
not wholly without religion, there was in it no mark 
of any of the distinguishing tenets of any particular 
sect. I had purposely avoided them ; for, being fully 
persuaded of the utility and excellency of my method, 
and that it might be serviceable to people in all re- 
ligions, and intending some time or other to publish 
it, I would not have anything in it that should preju- 
dice any one, of any sect, against it. I proposed 
writing a little comment on each virtue, in which I 
would have shown the advantages of possessing it, 
and the mischiefs attending its opposite vice ; I should 
have called my book The Art of Virtue, because it 
would have shown the means and manner of obtain- 
ing virtue, which would have distinguished it from 
the mere exhortation to be good, that does not in- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 161 

struct and indicate the means; but is like the Apos- 
tle's man of verbal charity, who, without showing to 
the naked and hungry, how or where they might get 
clothes or victuals, only exhorted them to be fed and 
clothed. James ii. 15, 16. 

But it so happened, that my intention of writing 
and publishing this comment was never fulfilled. I 
had, indeed, from time to time, put down short hints 
of the sentiments and reasonings to be made use of 
in it; some of which I have still by me; but the 
necessary close attention to private business in the 
earlier part of life, and public business since, have 
occasioned my postponing it. For, it being connected 
in my mind with a great and extensive project^ that 
required the whole man to execute, and which an 
unforeseen succession of employs prevented my at- 
tending to, it has hitherto remained unfinished. 

In this piece it was my design to explain and en- 
force this doctrine, that vicious actions are not hurtful 
because they are forbidden^ hut foriidden hecause they 
are hurtful, the nature of man alone considered ; that 
it was, therefore, every one's interest to be virtuous, 
who wished to be happy even in this world; and I 
should from this circumstance (there being always in 
the world a number of rich merchants, nobility, 
states, and princes, who have need of honest instru- 
ments for the management of their affairs, and such- 
being so rare) have endeavoured to convince young 
11 



163 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

persons, that no qualities are so likely to make a poor 
man's fortune, as those oi prohity and integrity. 

My list of virtues contained at first but twelve; but 
a Quaker friend having kindly informed me, that I 
was generally thought proud; that my pride showed 
itself frequently in conversation; that I was not con- 
tent with being in the right when discussing any 
point, but was overbearing, and rather insolent,..of 
which he convinced me by mentioning several in- 
stances; I determined to endeavour to cure myself, 
if I could, of this vice or folly among the rest; and I 
added Humility to my list, giving an extensive mean- 
ing to the word. 

I cannot boast of much success in acquiring the 
reality of this virtue, but I had a good deal with re- 
gard to the appearance of it. I made it a rule to 
forbear all direct contradiction to the sentiments of 
others, and all positive assertion of my own. I even 
forbid myself, agreeably to the old laws of our Junto, 
the use of every word or expression in the language 
that imported a fixed opinion; such as certainly., un- 
doubtedly., &c., and I adopted instead of them, 1 
conceive., I apprehend., or I imagine., a thing to be so or 
so; or it so appears to me at present. When another 
asserted something that I thought an error, I denied 
myself the pleasure of contradicting him abruptly, 
and of showing immediately some absurdity in his 
proposition ; and in answering I began by observing, 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 163 

that, in certain cases or circumstances, his opinion 
would be right, but in the present case there appeared 
or seemed to me some difference, &c. I soon found 
the advantage of this change in my manners; the 
conversations I engaged in went on more pleasantly. 
The modest way in which I proposed my opinions 
procured them a readier reception and less contradic- 
tion ; I had less mortification when 1 was found to be 
in the wrong ; and I more easily prevailed with others 
to give up their mistakes and join with me, when I 
happened to be in the right. 

And this mode, which I at first put on with some 
violence to natural inclination, became at length 
easy, and so habitual to me, that perhaps for the last 
fifty years no one has ever heard a dogmatical expres- 
sion escape me. And to this habit (after my char- 
acter of integrity) I think it principally owing, that 
I had early so much weight with my fellow-citizens, 
when I proposed new institutions or alterations in the 
old; and so much influence in public councils, when 
I became a member ; for I was but a bad speaker, 
never eloquent, subject to much hesitation in my 
choice of words, hardly correct in language, and yet 
I generally carried my point. 

In reality there is, perhaps, no one of our natural 
passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, 
struggle with i-t, stifle it, mortify it as much as one 
pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then 



164 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, 
often in this history. For, even if I could conceive 
that I had completely overcome it, I should probably 
be proud of my ImmiUty. 



CHAPTER VII.* 

BEGINNING OF PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT. 

Having mentioned a great and extensive jJt'oject, 
which I had conceived, it seems proper that some ac- 
count should be here given of that project and its 
object. Its first rise in my mind appears in the fol- 
lowing little paper, accidentally preserved, viz. : — 

" Observations on my reading history in the Library, May 
9th, 1731. 

" That the great affairs of the world, the wars and revolu 
tions, are carried on and effected by parties. 

" That the view of tliese parties is their present general 
interest, or what they take to be such. 

"That the different views of these different parties oc- 
casion all confusion. 

*The preceding chapter was written at Passy. In a 
memorandum which he made, when he again resumed the 
narrative four years afterwards, he says, "I am now about 
to write at home (Philadelphia) , August, 1788, but cannot 
have the help expected from my papers, may of them be- 
ing lost in the war. I have, however, found the follow- 
ing." He then proceeds as in the text. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 165 

"That while a party is carrying on a general design, each 
man has his particular private interest in view. 

•' That as soon as a party has gained its general point, 
each member becomes intent upon his particular interest ; 
which, thwarting others, breaks that party into divisions, 
and occasions more confusion. 

I "'That few in public affairs act from a mere view of the 
good of their country, whatever they may pretend ; and, 
though their actings bring real good to their country, yet 
men primarily considered that their own and their country 's 
interest were united, and so did not act from a principle of 
benevolence. 

" That fewer still in public affairs act witli a view to the 
good of mankind. 

" There seems to me at present to be great occasion for 
raising a United Party for Virtue, by forming the virtuous 
and good men of all nations into a regular body, to be gov- 
erned by suitable good and wise rules, which good and 
wise men may probably be more unanimous in their obedi- 
ence to than common people are to common laws. 

"I at present think that whoever attempts this aright, 
and is well qualified, cannot fail of pleasing God and of 
meeting with success." 

EevolviDg this project iu my mind, as to be iinder- 
taken hereafter, when my circumstances should afford 
me the necessary leisure, I put down from time to 
time on pieces of paper such thoughts as occurred to 
me respecting it. Most of these are lost; but I find 
one purporting to be the substance of an intended 
creed, containing, as I thought, the essentials of 
every known religion, and being free of everything 



166 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

that might shock the professors of auy religion. It 
is expressed in these words, viz. : — 

"That there is one God, who made all things. 

" That he governs the world by his providence. 

"That he ought to be worshipped by adoration, prayer, 
and thanksgiving. 

"But that the most acceptable service .to God is doing 
good to man. 

" That the soul is immortal. 

"And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish 
vice, either here or hereafter. " 

My ideas at that time were, that the sect should he 
begun and spread at first among young and single men 
only; that each person to be initiated should not only 
declare his assent to such creed, but should have ex- 
ercised himself with the thirteen weeks' examination 
and practice of the virtues, as in the before-mentioned 
model; that the existence of such a society should be 
kept a secret, till it was become considerable, to pre- 
vent solicitations for the admission of improper per- 
sons; but that the members should, each of them, 
search among his acquaintance for ingenious, well- 
disposed youths, to whom, with prudent caution, the 
scheme should be gradually communicated. That the 
members should engage to afford their advice, assist- 
ance, and support to each other in promoting one 
another's interest, business, and advancement in life. 
That for distinction, we should be called the society 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 167 

OF THE FREE a:nd EASY. Free, as being, by the 
general practice and habits of the virtues, free from 
the dominion of vice; and particularly, by the practice 
of industry and frugality, free from debt, which ex- 
poses a man to constraint, and a species of slavery to 
his creditors. 

This is as much as I can now recollect of the 
project, except that I communicated it in part to two 
young men, who adopted it with some enthusiasm; 
but my then narrow circumstances, and the necessity 
I was under of sticking close to my business, occa- 
sioned my postponing the further prosecution of it at 
that time; and my multifarious occupations, public 
and private, induced me to continue postponing, so 
that it has been omitted, till I have no longer strength 
or activity left sufficient for such an enterprise. 
Though I am still of opinion it was a practicable 
scheme, and might have been very useful, by forming 
a great number of good citziens; and I was not dis- 
couraged by the seeming magnitude of the undertak- 
ing, as I have always thought, that one man of toler- 
able abilities. may work great changes, and accomplishi 
great affairs among mankind, if he first forms a good 
plan; and, cutting off all amusements or other em- 
ployments, that would divert his attention, makes the> 
execution of that same plan his sole study and busi- 
ness. 

In 1732, I first published my Almanac, under the 



168 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

name of Richard Saunders; it was continued bj me 
about twenty-five years, and commonly called Poor 
Richard'' s Ahnanac.'^ I endeavoured to make it both 

* Considering the remarkable success of this Almanac, 
and the^ great celebritj' it has attained, particularly the 
summary of maxims selected from it and published sepa- 
rately under the title of The Way to Wealth, the reader 
may be curious to see the advertisement of the first num- 
ber, including the table of contents. It was printed in the 
Pennsylvania Gazette on the 19th of December, 1732, as 
follows : — 

"Just published, for 1733, An Almanac, containing the 
Lunations, Eclipses, Planets' Motions and Aspects, Weather, 
Sun, and Moon's Rising and Setting, High Water, &c. ; be- 
sides many pleasant and witty Verses, Jests, and Sayings ; 
Author's Motive of Writing ; Prediction of the Death of 
his Friend, Mr. Titan Leeds ; Bachelor's Folly ; Parson's 
Wine and Baker's Pudding ; Short Visits ; Kings and 
Bears; New Fashions; Game for Kisses; Katherine's 
Love ; Different Sentiments ; Signs of a Tempest ; Death 
of a Fisherman ; Conjugal Debate ; Men and Melons ; The 
Prodigal ; Breakfast in Bed ; Oyster Lawsuit, &c. By 
Eichard Saunders, Philomat. Printed and Sold by B. 
Franklin." 

Such was the eagerness with which this Almanac was 
sought that three editions were printed before the end of 
January, and, although he enlarged his first editions for 
the subsequent years, yet two editions were frequently re- 
quired to supply the demand. In the Almanac for 1739 he 
makes the following apology for its miscellaneous char- 
acter :— 

"JBesides the usual things expected in an Almanac, I 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 169 

entertaining and useful, and it accordingly came to 
be in such demand, that I reaped considerable profit 
from it; vending annually near ten thousand. And 
observing that it was generally read, scarce any neigh- 
borhood in the province being without it, I considered 
it as a proper vehicle for conveying instruction among 
the common people, who bought scarcely any other 
books. I therefore filled all the little spaces, that 
occurred between the remarkable days in the Calendar, 
with proverbial sentences, t^hiefly such as inculcated 
industry and fruaglity, as the means of procuring 
wealth, and thereby securing virtue; it being more 

hope the professed teachers of mankind will excuse my 
scattering here and there some instructive hints in matters 
of morality and religion. And be not thou disturbed, O 
grave and sober reader, if, among the many serious sen- 
tences in my book, thou findest me trifling now and then 
and talking idly. In all the dishes I have hitherto cooked 
for thee there is solid meat enough for thy money. There 
are scraps from the table of vt'isdom that will, if well 
digested, yield strong nourishment for the mind. But 
squeamish stomachs cannot eat w^ithout pickles, which, it 
is true, are good for nothing else, but they provoke an ap- 
petite. The vain youth that reads my Almanac for the 
sake of an idle joke will perhaps meet with a serious re- 
flection that he may ever after be the better for." 

It is believed that a complete series of Poor Richard's 
Almanac is not now in existence. After much research I 
have not been able to find more than one-third of the num- 
bers that were published. 



170 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

difficult for a man in want to act always honestly, as,, 
to use here one of those proverbs, it is hard for mi 
empty sack to stand upright. 

These proverbs, which contained the wisdom of 
many ages and nations, I assembled and formed into 
a connected discourse prefixed to the Almanac of 1757, 
as the harangue of a wise old man to the people at- 
tending an auction. The bringing all these scattered 
counsels thus into a focus enabled them to make 
greater impression. The piece, being universally ap- 
proved, was copied in all the newspapers of the 
American continent, reprinted in Britain on a large 
sheet of paper, to be stuck up in houses; two trans- 
lations were made of it in France, and great numbers 
bought by the clergy and gentry, to distribute gratis 
among their poor parishioners and tenants. In Penn- 
sylvania, as it discouraged useless expense in foreign 
superfluities, some thought it had its share of influ- 
ence in producing that growing plenty of money, 
which was observable for several years after its i3ubli- 
cation. 

1 considered my newspaper, also, as another means, 
of communicating instruction, and in that view fre- 
quently reprinted in it extracts from the Spectator^ and 
other moral writers; and sometimes published little 
pieces of my own, which had been first composed 
for reading in our Junto. Of these are a Socratic 
dialogue, tending to prove that, whatever might be 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 171 

his parts and abilities, a vicious mau could not prop- 
erly be called a man of sense; and a discourse on 
self-denial, showing that virtue was not secure, till 
its practice became a licibitude^ and was free from the 
opposition of contrary inclinations. These may be 
found in the papers about the beginning of 1735. 

In the conduct of my newspaper, I carefully ex- 
cluded all libelling and personal abuse, which is of 
late years become so disgraceful to our country. 
Whenever I was solicited to insert anything of that 
kind, and the writers pleaded, as they generally did, 
the liberty of the press; and that a newspaj^er was 
like a stage-coach, in which any one who would pay 
had a right to a place; my answer was, that I would 
print the piece separately if desired, and the author 
might have as many copies as he pleased to distribute 
himself; but that I would not take upon me to spread 
his detraction; and that, having contracted with my 
subscribers to furnish them with what might be 
either useful or entertaining, I could not fill their 
papers with private altercation, in which they had no 
concern, without doing them manifest injustice. 
Now, many of our printers make no scruple of grat- 
ifying the malice of individuals, by false accusations 
of the fairest characters among ourselves, augmenting 
animosity even to the producing of duels; and are, 
moreover, so indiscreet "as to print scurrilous reflec- 
tions on the government of neighboring states, and 



172 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

even on the conduct of our best national allies, which 
may be attended with the most pernicious conse- 
quences. These things I mention as a caution to 
young printers, and that they may be encouraged not 
to pollute their presses, and disgrace their profession 
by such infamous practices, but refuse steadily; as 
they may see by my example, that such a course of 
conduct will not on the whole be injurious to their 
interests.* 

In 1733, I sent one of my journeymen to Charles- 
ton, South Carolina, where a printer was wanting. 
I furnished him with a press and letters, on an agree- 
ment of partnership, by which I was to receive one- 
third of the profits of the business, paying one-third 
of the expense. He was a man of learning, but 
ignorant on matters of account; and, though he 
sometimes made me remittances, I could get no ac- 
count from him, nor any satisfactory state of our 
partnership while he lived. On his decease, the busi- 
ness was continued by his widow, who, being born 
and bred in Holland, where, as I have been informed, 
the knowledge of accounts makes a part of female 
education, she not only sent me as clear a statement 
as she could find of the transactions past, but contin- 
ued to account with the greatest regularity and exact- 

* In 1737 he published a piece in his paper on the Free- 
dom of Speech and of the Press. Again, late in life, he 
wrote a pointed satirical piece on this subject. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 173 

ness every quarter afterwards; and managed the busi- 
ness with such success, that she not only reputably 
brought up a family of children, but, at the expira- 
tion of the term, was able to purchase of me the 
printing-house, and establish her son in it. 

I mention this affair chiefly for the sake of recom- 
mending that branch of education for our young 
women, as likely to be of more use to them and their 
children, in case of widowhood, than either music or 
dancing ; by preserving them from losses by imposition 
of crafty men, and enabling them to continue, per- 
haps, a profitable mercantile house, with established 
correspondence, till a son is grown up fit to undertake 
and go on with it ; to the lasting advantage and enrich- 
ing of the family. 

About the year 1734, there arrived among us a 
young Presbyterian preacher, named Hemphill, who 
delivered with a good voice, and apparently extem- 
pore, most excellent discourses; which drew together 
considerable numbers of different persuasions, who 
joined in admiring them. Among the rest, I became 
one of his constant hearers, his sermons pleasing me, 
as they had little of the dogmatical kind, but incul- 
cated strongly the practice of virtue, or what in the 
religious style are called good woi'hs. Those, however, 
of our congregation, who considered themselves as 
orthodox Presbyterians, disapproved his doctrine, and 
were joined by most of the old ministers, who ar- 



174 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

raigned him of heterodoxy before the synod, in order 
to have him silenced. I became his zealous partisan, 
and contributed all I could to raise a party in his 
favour, and combated for him awhile with some hopes 
of success. There was much scribbling ^^ro and con 
upon the occasion ; and finding that, though an ele- 
gant preacher, he was but a poor writer, I wrote for 
him two or three pamphlets, and a piece in the Gazette 
of April, 1735. Those pamphlets, as is generally the 
case with controversial writings, though eagerly read 
at the time, were soon out of vogue, and I question 
whether a single copy of them now exists.* 

During the contest an unlucky occurrence hurt his 
cause exceedingly. One of our adversaries having 
heard him preach a sermon, that was much admired, 
thought he had somewhere read the sermon before, 
or at least a i^art of it. On searching, he found that 
part quoted at length, in one of the British Bevieivs, 
from a discourse of Dr. Foster's. This detection 
gave many of our party disgust, who accordingly 
abandoned his cause and occasioned our more speedy 
discomfiture in the synod. I stuck by him, however; 

*None of these pamphlets have been found. Several 
anonymous tracts on this subject are advertised in the 
Pennsylvania Gazette, in the months of July, September, 
and October, 1735, some of which are probably the same 
that are here mentioned as having been written by 
Franklin. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 175 

I rather approved his giving us good sermons com- 
posed by others, than bad ones of his own manufac- 
ture; though the latter was the practice of our com- 
mon teachers. He afterwards acknowledged to me, 
that none of those he preached were his own; adding, 
that his memory was such as enabled him to retain 
and repeat any sermon after once reading only. On 
our defeat, he left us in search elsewhere of better 
fortune, and I quitted the congregation, never attend- 
ing it after; though I continued many years my sub- 
scription for the support of its ministers. 

I had begun in 1733 to study languages; I soon 
made myself so much a master of the French, as to'be 
able to read the books in that language with ease. 
I then undertook the Italian. An acquaintance who 
was also learning it, used often to tempt me to play 
chess with him. Finding this took np too much of 
the time I had to spare for study, I at length refused 
to play any more, unless on this condition, that the 
victor in every game should have a right to impose 
a task, either of parts of the grammar to be got by 
heart, or in translations, which tasks the vanquished 
was to perform upon honour before our next meeting. 
As we played pretty equally, we thus beat one another 
into that language. I afterwards, with a little pains- 
taking, acquired as much of the Spanish as to read 
their books also. 

I have already mentioned that I had only one year's 



176 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

instruction in a Latin school, and that when very 
young, after which I neglected that language entirely. 
But, when I had attained an acquaintance with the 
French, Italian, and Spanish, I was surprised to find, 
on looking over a Latin Testament, that I under- 
stood more of that language than I had imagined ; 
which encouraged me to apply myself again to the 
study of it, and I met with more success, as those 
preceding languages had greatly smoothed my way. 

From these circumstances I have thought there is 
some inconsistency in our common mode of teaching 
languages. We are told that it is proper to begin 
first with the Latin, and having acquired that, it will 
be more easy to attain those modern languages which 
are derived from it; and yet we do not begin with 
the Greek, in order more easily to acquire the Latin. 
It is true that if we can clamber and get to the top 
of a staircase without using the steps, we shall more 
easily gain them in descending; but certainly if we 
begin with the lowest, we shall with more ease ascend 
to the top; and I would therefore offer it to the con- 
sideration of those who superintend the education of 
our youth, whether, since many of those, who begin 
with the Latin, quit the same after spending some 
years without having made any great proficiency, and 
what they have learned becomes almost useless, so 
that their time has been lost, it would not have been 
better to have begun with the French, proceeding to 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 177 

the Italian and Latin? For though after spending 
the same time they should quit the study of languages 
and never arrive at the Latin, they would however 
have acquired another tongue or two, that, being in 
modern use, might be serviceable to them in common 
life. 

After ten years' absence from Boston, and having 
become easy in my circumstances, I made a journey 
thither to visit my relations; which I could not sooner 
afford. In returning 1 called at Newport to see my 
brother James, then settled there with his printing- 
house. Our former differences were forgotten, and 
our meeting was very cordial and affectionate. He 
was fast declining in health, and requested me that, 
in case of his death, which he apprehended was not 
far distant, I would take home his son, then but ten 
years of age, and bring him up to the printing busi- 
ness. This I accordingly performed; sending him 
a few years to school before I took him into the office. 
His mother carried on the business till he was grown 
up, when I assisted him with an assortment of new 
types, those of his father being in a manner worn out. 
Thus it was that I made my brother ample amends 
for the service I had deprived him of by leaving him 
so early. 

In 1736 I lost one of my sons, a fine boy of four 
years old, by the smallpox, taken in the common 
way. I long regretted him bitterly, and sfcill regret 
12 



178 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

that I had not given it to him by inoculation. This 
I mention for the sake of parents who omit that oper- 
ation on the supposition that they should never for- 
give themselves if a child died under it; my example 
showing that the regret may be the same either way, 
and therefore that the safer should be chosen. 

Our club, the Junto, was found so useful, and 
afforded such satisfaction to the members, that some 
were desirous of introducing their friends, which 
could not well be done without exceeding what we 
had settled as a convenient number, viz., twelve. We 
had from the beginning made it a rule to keep our 
institution a secret, which was pretty well observed; 
the intention was to avoid applications of improper 
persons for admittance, some of whom, perhaps, we 
might find it difficult to refuse. I was one of those 
who were against any addition to our number, but 
instead of it made in writing a proposal that every 
member separately should endeavour to form a sub- 
ordinate club, with the same rules respecting queries, 
etc., and without informing them of the connection 
with the Junto. The advantages proposed were the 
improvement of so many more young citizens by the 
use of our institutions; our better acquaintance with 
the general sentiments of the inhabitants on any occa- 
sion, as the Junto member might propose what 
queries we should desire, and was to report to the 
Junto what passed at his separate club; the promo- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 179 

tion of our particular interests in business by more 
extensive recommendation, and the increase of our in- 
fluence in public affairs, and our power of doing good 
by spreading through the several clubs the sentiments 
of the Junto. 

The project was approved, and every member 
undertook to form his club; but they did not all 
succeed. Five or six only were completed, which 
were called by different names, as the Vine, the 
Unio7i^ the Band. They were useful to themselves, 
and afforded us a good deal of amusement, informa- 
tion, and instruction; besides answering, in some 
considerable degree, our views of influencing the 
public on particular occasions; of which I shall give 
some instances in course of time as they happened. 

My first promotion was my being chosen, in 1736, 
clerk of the General Assembly. The choice was made 
that year without opposition ; but the year following, 
when I was again proposed, the choice like that of 
the members being annual, a new member made a 
long speech against me, in order to favour some other 
candidate. I was however chosen, which was the more 
agreeable to me, as besides the pay for the immediate 
service of clerk, the place gave me a better opportun- 
ity of keeping up an interest among the members, 
which secured to me the business of printing the votes, 
laws, paper-money, and other occasional jobs for the 
public, that on the whole were very profitable. 



18C AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

I therefore did not like the opposition of this new 
member, who was a gentleman of fortune and educa- 
tion, with talents that were likely to give him in 
time great influence in the House, which indeed after- 
wards happened. I did not, however, aim at gaining 
his favour by paying any servile respect to him, but, 
after some time, took this other method. Having, 
heard that he had in his library a certain very scarce' 
and curious book, I wrote a note to him, expressing 
my desire of perusing that book, and requesting 
that he would do me the favour of lending it to me 
for a few days. He sent it immediately; and I re- 
turned it in about a week with another note, express- 
ing strongly the sense of the favour. When ive next 
met in the House he spoke to me, which he had 
never done before, and with great civility; and he 
ever after manifested a readiness to serve me on all 
occasions, so that we became great friends, and our 
friendship continued to his death. This is another 
instance of the truth of an old maxim I had learned, 
which says: ''He that has once done you a kindness 
will he more ready to do you another^ than he whom 
you yourself have obliged.'' And it shows how much 
more profitable it is prudently to remove, than to re- 
sent, return, and continue, inimical proceedings. 

In 1737, Colonel Spotswood, late governor of Vir- 
ginia, and then postmaster-general, being dissatisfied 
with the conduct of his deputy at Philadelphia, re- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 181 

specting some negligence in rendering, and want of 
exactness in framing, his accounts, took from him 
the commission and offered it to me. I accepted it 
readily, and found it of great advantage ; for, though 
the salary was small, it facilitated the correspondence 
that improved my newspaper, increased the number 
demanded, as well as the advertisements to be inserted, 
so that it came to afford me a considerable income. 
My old competitor's newspaper declined proportion- 
ably, and I was satisfied without retaliating his re- 
fusal, while postmaster, to permit my papers being 
carried by the riders. Thus he suffered greatly from 
his neglect in due accounting: and I mention it as a 
lesson to those young men, who may be employed in 
managing affairs for others, that they should always 
render accounts, and make remittances, with great 
clearness and punctuality. The character of observ- 
ing such a conduct is the most powerful of all recom- 
mendations to new employments and increase of busi- 
ness.* 

* Before this appointment, he had been favoured in re- 
gard to the circulation of his newspaper. On the 28th of 
January, 1735, he says : "By the indulgence of the Honour- 
able Colonel Spotswood, postmaster-general, the printer 
hereof is allowed to send the Gazettes by the post, postage 
free, to all parts of the post-road, from Virginia to New ^ 
England." 

The following advertisement indicates nearly the time 
at which he assumed the duties of postmaster, and also the 



183 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

I began now to turn my thoughts to public affairs, 
beginning, however, with small matters. The city 
watch was one of the first things that I conceived to 

degree of speed with which the mail was then con- 
veyed : — 

October 27th, i7<?7.— "Notice is hereby given, that the 
post-office of Philadelphia is now kept at B. Franklin's, in 
Market Street ; and that Henry Pratt is appointed Riding 
Postmaster for all the stages between Philadelphia and 
Newport in Virginia, who sets out about the beginning of 
each month, and returns in twenty-four days ; by whom 
gentlemen, merchants, and others may have their letters 
carefully conveyed, and business faithfully transacted, he 
having given good security for the same to the Honourable 
Colonel Spotswood, postmaster- general of all his Majesty's 
dominions in America." 

Six years afterwards some improvement had taken place 
in the transmission of the mail. In an advertisement dated 
April 14th, 1743, he says : "After this week the northern 
post will set out for New York on Thursdays at three o'clock 
in the forenoon till Christmas. The southern post sets out 
next Monday at eight o'clock for Annapolis, and continues 
going every fortnight during the summer season." In 
winter the post between Philadelphia and New York went 
once a fortnight. 

The following characteristic advertisement is contained 
in. i\iQ Pennsylvania Gazette for June 23d, 17B7 : — "Taken 
out of a pew in the Church, some months since, a Common 
Prayer Book, bound in red, gilt, and lettered D. F. [Deb- 
orah Franklin] on each cover. The person who took it is 
desired to open it and read the eighth commandment, and 
afterwards return it into the same pew again ; upon which 
no further notice will be taken. " 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 183 

want regulation. It was managed by the constables 
of the respective wards in turn; the constable sum- 
moned a number of housekeepers to attend him for 
the night. Those who chose never to attend paid 
him six shillings a year to be excused, which was 
supposed to go to hiring substitutes, but was in real- 
ity much more than was necessary for that purpose, 
and made the constableship a place of profit; and 
the constable, for a little drink, often got such raga- 
muffins about him as a watch, that respectable house- 
keepers did not choose to mix with. "Walking the 
rounds, too, was often neglected, and most of the 
nights spent in tippling. I thereupon wrote a paper 
to be read in the Junto, rej)resenting these irregular- 
ities, but insisting more particularly on the inequality 
of the six shilling tax of the constable, respecting 
the circumstances of those who paid it; since a poor 
widow housekeeper, all whose property to be guarded 
by the watch did not perhaps exceed the value of fifty 
pounds, paid as much as the wealthiest merchant, 
who had thousands of pounds' worth of goods in his 
stores. 

On the whole I proposed as a more effectual watch, 
the hiring of proper men to serve constantly in the 
business; and as a more equitable way of supporting 
the charge, the levying a tax that should be propor- 
tioned to the property. This idea, being approved 
by the Junto, was communicated to the other clubs. 



184 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

but as originating in each of them; and though the 
plan was not immediately carried into execution, yet, 
by preparing the minds of the people for the change, 
it paved the way for the law obtained a few years 
after, when the members of our clubs were grown 
into more influence. 

About this time I wrote a paper (first to be read in 
the Junto, but it was afterwards published) on the 
different accidents and carelessnesses by which houses 
were set on fire, with cautions against them, and 
means proposed of avoiding them. This was spoken 
of as a useful piece, and gave rise to a project, which 
soon followed it, of forming a company for the more 
ready extinguishing of fires, and mutual assistance in 
removing and securing of goods when in danger. 
Associates in this scheme were presently found 
amounting to thirty. Our articles of agreement 
obliged every member to keep always in good order, 
and fit for use, a certain number of leathern buckets, 
with strong bags and baskets (for packing and trans- 
porting of goods), which were to be brought to every 
fire; and we agreed about once a month to spend a 
social evening together, in discoursing and communi- 
cating such ideas as occurred to us upon the subject 
of fires as might be useful in our conduct on such 
occasions. 

The utility of this institution soon appeared, and 
many more desiring to be admitted than we thought 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 185 

convenient for one company, they were advised to 
form another, which was accordingly done; and thus 
went on one new company after another, till they be- 
come so numerous as to include most of the inhabi- 
tants who were men of property ; and now, at the time 
of my writing this, though upwards of fifty years 
since its establishment, that which I first formed, 
called the Unmi Fire Company^ still subsists; though 
the first members are all deceased but one, who is older 
by a year than I am. The fines that have been paid 
by members for absence at the monthly meetings have 
been applied to the purchase of fire-engines, ladders, 
fire-hooks, and other useful implements for each com- 
pany; so that I question whether there is a city in 
the world better provided with the means of putting 
a stop to beginning confiagrations; and, in fact, since 
these institutions, the city has never lost by fire more 
than one or two houses at a time, and the flames have 
often been extinguished before the house in which 
they began has been half consumed. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

PROSPERITY 11^ BUSII^ESS. 



In 1739, arrived among us from Ireland the Rever- 
end Mr. Whitefield, who had made himself remarkable 
there as an itinerant preacher. He was at first per- 



186 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

mitted to preach iu some of our churches; but the ^ 
clergy, taking a dislike to him, soon refused him their •! 
pulpits, and he was obliged to preach in the fields. 
The multitudes of all sects and denominations that \ 
attended his sermons were enormous, and it was a \ 
matter of speculation to me, who was one of the j 
number, to observe the extraordinary influence of his i 
oratory on his hearers, and how much they admired , 
and respected him, notwithstanding his common I 
abuse of them, by assuring them, they were naturally 
half beasts and half devils. It was wonderful to see 
the change soon made in the manners of our inhabi- 
tants. From being thoughtless or indifferent about ^ 
religion, it seemed as if all the world were growing 
religious, so that one could not walk through the ,| 
town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in i 
different families of every street. ! 
And it being found inconvenient to assemble in ' 
the open air, subject to its inclemencies, the building \ 
of a house to meet iu was no sooner proposed, and \ 
persons appointed to receive contributions, than i 
sufficient sums were soon received to procure the l 
ground, and erect the building, which was one hun- i 
dred feet long and seventy broad; and the work was \ 
carried on with such spirit as to be finished in a j 
much shorter time than could have been expected. 
Both house and ground were vested in trustees, ex- , 
pressly for the use of any preacher of any religious '■■ 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 187 

persuasion, who might desire to say something to the 
people at Philadelphia; the design in building being 
not to accommodate an}" particular sect, but the in- 
habitants in general; so that even if the Mufti of 
Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach 
Mahometanism to us, he would find a puipit at his 
service. 

Mr. Whitefield, on leaving us, went preaching all 
the way through the colonies to Georgia. The settle- 
ment of that province had been lately begun, but, 
instead of being made with hardy, industrious hus- 
bandmen, accustomed to labour, the only people fit for 
such an enterprise, it was with families of broken shop- 
keepers and other insolvent debtors; many of indo- 
lent and idle habits, taken out of the jails, who, 
being set down in the woods, unqualified for clearing 
land, and unable to endure the hardships of a new 
settlement, perished in numbers, leaving many help- 
less children unprovided for. The slight of their 
miserable situation inspired the benevolent heart of 
Mr. Whitefield with the idea of building an Orphan 
House there, in which they might be supported and 
educated. Returning northward, he preached up this 
charity, and made large collections; for his eloquence 
had a wonderful power over the hearts and purses of 
his hearers, of which I myself was an instance. 

I did not disapprove of the design, but, as Georgia 
was then destitute of materials and workmen, and it 



188 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

was proposed to send them from Philadelphia at a 
great expense, I thought it would have been better to 
have built the house at Philadelphia, and brought the 
children to it. This I advised; but he was resolute 
in his first project, rejected my counsel, and I there- 
fore refused to contribute. I happened soon after to 
attend one of his sermons, in the course of which I 
perceived he intended to finish with a collection, and 
I silently resolved he should get nothing from me. 
I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three 
or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As 
he proceeded I began to soften, and concluded to give 
the copper. Another stroke of his oratory made me 
ashamed of that, and determined me to give the silver; 
and he finished so admirably, that I emptied my 
pocket wholly into the collector's dish, gold and all. 
At this sermon there was also one of our club, who, 
being of my sentiments respecting the building in 
Georgia, and suspecting a collection might be in- 
tended, had by precaution emptied his pockets before 
he came from home. Towards the conclusion of the 
discourse, however, he felt a strong inclination to give, 
and applied to a neighbour, who stood near him, to 
lend him some money for the purpose. The request 
was fortunately made to perhaps the only man in the 
company, who had the firmness not to be affected by 
the preacher. His answer was, " At any other time, 
friend Hopkiuson, I would lend to thee freely; but 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 189 

not now ; for thee seems to be out of thy right senses. " 
Some of Mr. Whitefield's enemies affected to sup- 
pose that he would apply these collections to his own 
private emolument; but I, who was intimately ac- 
quainted with him, being employed in printing his 
Sermons and Journals, never had the least suspicion 
of his integrity; but am to this day decidedly of 
opinion, that he was in all his conduct a perfectly 
ho}iest 77ian; and methinks my testimony in his favour 
ought to have the more weight, as we had no religious 
connection. He used, indeed, sometimes, to pray 
for my conversion, but never had the satisfaction of 
believing that his prayers were heard. Ours was a 
mere civil friendship, sincere on both sides, and 
lasted to his death. 

The following instance will show the terms on 
which we stood. Upon one of his arrivals from Eng- 
land at Boston, he wrote to me, that he should come 
soon to Philadelphia, but knew not where he could 
lodge when there, as he understood his old friend and 
host, Mr. Benezet, was removed to Germantown. 
My answer was, "You know my house; if you can 
make shift with its scanty accommodations, you will 
be most heartily welcome." He replied, that if I 
made that kind oifer for Chrisfs sake, I should not 
miss of a reward. And I returned, "Don't let me 
be mistaken; it was not for Chrisfs sake, but for 
your sake." One of our common acquaintance jo- 



190 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

cosely remarked, that, knowing it to be the custom of 
the saints, when they received any favour, to shift the 
burden of the obligation from off their own shoulders, 
and place it in heaven, I had contrived to fix it on 
earth. 

The last time I saw Mr. Whitefield was in London, 
when he consulted me about his Orphan House con- 
cern, and his purpose of appropriating it to the es- 
tablishment of a college. 

He had a loud and clear voice, and articulated his 
words so perfectly, that he might be heard and under- 
stood at a great distance; especially as his auditors 
observed the most perfect silence. He preached one 
evening from the top of the Court House steps, which 
are in the middle of Market Street, and on the west 
.side of Second Street, which crosses it at right angles. 
Both streets were filled with his hearers to a consider- 
able distance. Being among the hindmost in Market 
Street, I had the curiosity to learn how far he could 
be heard, by retiring backwards down the street to- 
wards the river; and I found his voice distinct till 
I came near Front Street, when some noise in that 
street obscured it. Imagining then a semicircle, of 
which my distance should be the radius, and that it 
was filled with auditors, to each of whom I allowed 
two square feet, I computed that he might well be 
heard by more than thirty thousand. This reconciled 
me to the newspaper accounts of his having preached 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 191 

to twenty-five thousand people in the fields, and to 
the history of generals haranguing whole armies, of 
which I had sometimes doubted.* 

By hearing him often, I came to distinguish easily 
between sermons newly composed, and those which 
he had often preached in the course of his travels. 
His delivery of the latter was so improved by frequent 
repetition, that every accent, every emphasis, every 
modulation of voice, was so perfectly well turned and 
well placed, that, without being interested in the 
subject, one could not help being pleased with 
the discourse; a pleasure of much the same kind 
with that received from an excellent piece of music. 
This is an advantage itinerant preachers have 
over those who are stationary, as the latter cannot 

* In the early part of his life, Mr. Whitefield was preach- 
ing in an open field, when a drummer happened to be pres- 
ent, who was determined to interrupt his pious business, 
and rudely beat his drum in a violent manner, in order to 
drown the preacher's voice. Mr. Whitefield spoke very 
loud, but was not as powerful as the instrument. He 
therefore called out to the drummer in these words: 
*' Friend, you and I serve the two greatest masters existing, 
but in different callings ; you beat up for volunteers for 
King George, I for the Lord Jesus. In God's name, tlien, 
let us not interrupt each other ; the world is wide enough 
for both ; and we may get recruits in abundance. " This 
speech had such an effect on the drummer that he went 
away in great good humour, and left the preacher in full 
possession of the field. 



193 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

well improve their delivery of a sermon by so many 
rehearsals. 

His writing and printing from time to time gave 
great advantage to his enemies; unguarded expres- 
sions, and even erroneous opinions, delivered in 
preaching, might have been afterwards explained or 
qualified by supposing others that might have accom- 
panied them; or they might have been denied; but 
litera scripta manet. Critics attacked his writings 
violently, and with so much appearance of reason as 
to diminish the number of his votaries, and prevent 
their increase. So that I am satisfied, that, if he had 
never written anything he would have left behind him 
a much more numerous and important sect; and his 
reputation might in that case have been still growing 
even after his death; as, there being nothing of his 
writing on which to found a censure, and give him a 
lower character, his proselytes would be left at liberty 
to attribute to him as great a variety of excellences 
as their enthusiastic admiration might wish him to 
have possessed.* 

* The following notices, selected from Franklin's news- 
paper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, show that he was the first 
publisher of Whitefield's writings : and they also contain 
some curious facts respecting the success of that eloquent 
preacher, immediately after his arrival in America : — 

November 15th, 1739.— ''The Reverend Mr. Whitefield, 
having given me copies of his Journals and Sermons, with 
leave to print the same, I propose to publish them with all 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 193 

My business was now constantly augmenting, and 
my circumstances growing daily easier, my newspaper 
having become very profitable, as being for a time 
almost the only one in this and the neighbouring prov- 
inces. I experienced, too, the truth of the observa- 
tion, ''that after getting the first hundred jpoimds^ it 

expedition, if I find sufficient encouragement. The Ser- 
mons will make two volumes, and the Journals two more ; 
which will be delivered to subscribers at two shillings for 
each volume bound. Those, therefore, who are inclined to 
encourage this work, are desired speedily to send in their 
names to me, that I may take measures accordingly. " 

November 29th. — "On Friday last, Mr. Whitefield arrived 
here with his friends from New York, where he preached 
eight times. He has preached twice every day to great 
crowds, except Tuesday, when he preached at Germantown, 
from a balcony, to about five thousand people in the street. 
And last night the crowd was so great to hear his farewell 
sermon, that the church could not contain one half, where- 
upon they withdrew to Society Hill, where he preached 
from a balcony to a multitude, computed at not less than 
ten thousand people. He left this citj' to-day. " 

December 6th. — "On Thursday last, the Reverend Mr. 
Whitefield left this city, and was accompanied to Chester 
by about one hundred and fifty horse, and preached there 
to about seven thousand people. On Friday he preached 
twice at Willing 's Town to about five thousand ; on Satur- 
day, at Newcastle, to about two thousand five hundred ; 
and the same evening, at Christiana Bridge, to about three 
thousand ; on Sunday, at White Clay Creek, he preached 
twice, resting about half an hour between the sermons, to 
13 



194 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

is more easy to get the second" money itself being 
of a prolific nature. 

The partnership at Carolina having succeeded, I 
was encouraged to engage in others, and to promote 
several of my workmen who had behaved well by es- 
tablishing them in printing-houses in different colo- 
nies, on the same terms with that in Carolina.* Most 

about eight thousand, of whom three thousand it is com- 
puted came on horseback. It rained most of the time, and 
yet thej' stood in the open air." 

May 15tli,1740. — "This evening the Reverend Mr. White- 
field went on board his sloop at Newcastle to sail for 
Georgia. On Sunday he preached twice at Philadelphia. 
The last was his farewell sermon, at which was a vast 
audience. On Monday he preached at Derby and Chester ; 
on Tuesday, at Wilmington and White Clay Creek ; on 
Wednesday, at Nottingham : on Thursday, at Frog's 
Manor. The congregations were, at everj'^ place, much 
more numerous than when he was here last. We hear that 
he has collected in these parts, in goods and money, be- 
tween four and five hundred pounds sterling for his Orphan 
House in Georgia. " 

May 22d, 1740. — "Monday next will be delivered to tlie 
subscribers two volumes of the Reverend Mr. Whitefield's 
works, viz. one of Sermons and one of Journals. The other 
volumes being nearly finished, will be ready in a short 
time. The whole number of names subscribed far exceeds 
the number of books printed. Those subscribers who have 
paid, or who bring the money in their hands, will have the 
preference, " 

* By the general terms of these partnerships, Franklin 
supplied a printing-press and a certain quantity of types at 



i 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 195 

of them did well, being enabled at the end of oar 
term, six years, to purchase the types of me and go 
on working for themselves, by which means several 
families were raised. Partnerships often finish in 
quarrels, but I was happy in this, that mine were all 
carried on and ended amicably, owing, I think, a 
good deal to the precaution of having very explicitly 
settled, in our articles, everything to be done by, 
or expected from, each partner, so that there was 
nothing to dispute, which precaution I would there- 
fore recommend to all who enter into partnerships; 
for, whatever esteem partners may have for, and 
confidence in, each other at the time of the contract,, 
little jealousies and disgusts may arise, with ideas of 
inequality in the care and burden, business, &c., 
which are attended often with breach of friendship 
and of the connection; perhaps with lawsuits and 
other disagreeable consequences. 

his own charge ; and all other materials for carrying on the 
business were provided by the partner. The amount of 
necessary expenses for rent, paper, ink, and the like, was 
deducted from the gross receipts, and the remainder, in- 
cluding the debts, was divided into three parts, of which 
two belonged to the partner and one to Franklin. All ac- 
counts were settled quarterly. At the expiration of the 
time agreed upon, which was commonly six years, the 
partner was at liberty to return the press and types, or to 
purchase them at a fair valuation. A partnership of this 
description existed for many 3"ears between Franklin and 
James Parker, a respectable printer in New York. 



196 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

I had, on the whole, abundant reason to be satisfied 
with my being established in Pennsylvania. Tliere 
were, however, some things that I regretted, there 
being no provision for defence nor for a complete edu- 
cation of youth ; no militia, nor any college. I, there- 
fore, in 1743, drew up a proposal for establishing an 
academy; and at that time, thinking the Reverend 
Richard Peters, who was out of employ, a lit person 
to superintend such an institution, I communicated 
the project to him ; but he, having more profitable 
views in the service of the Proprietors, which suc- 
ceeded, declined the undertaking; and, not knowing 
another at the time suitable for such a trust, I let 
the scheme lie awhile dormant. I succeeded better 
the next year, 1744, in proposing and establishing a 
Philosophical Society. The paper I wrote for that 
purpose will be found among my writings, if not lost 
with many others. 

With respect to defence, Spain having been several 
years at war against Great Britain, and being at length 
joined by France, which brought us into great danger; 
and the laboured and long-continued endeavour of our 
governor, Thomas, to prevail with our Quaker Assem- 
bly to pass a militia law, and make other provisions, 
for the security of the province, having proved abor- 
tive, I proposed to try what might be done by a vol- 
untary subscription of the people. To promote this, 
I first wrote and published a pamphlet, entitled 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 197 

Plain TriUli.) in which I stated our helpless situation 
in strong lights, with the necessity of union and dis- 
cipline for our defence, and promised to propose in a 
few days an association, to be generally signed for 
that purpose. The pamphlet had a sudden and sur- 
prising effect. I was called upon for the instrument 
of association. Having settled the draft of it with a 
few friends, I appointed a meeting of the citizens in 
the large building before mentioned. The house was 
pretty full; I had prepared a number of printed 
copies, and provided pens and ink dispersed all over 
the room. I harangued them a little on the subject, 
read the paper, explained it, and then distributed the 
copies, which were eagerly signed, not the least ob- 
jection being made. 

When the company separated, and the papers were 
collected, we found above twelve hundred signatures; 
and other copies being dispersed in the country, the 
subscribers amounted at length to upwards of ten 
thousand. These all furnished themselves as soon as 
they could with arms, formed themselves into com- 
panies and regiments, chose their own officers, and 
met every week to be instructed in the manual exer- 
cise, and other parts of military discipline. The 
v/omen, by subscriptions among themselves, provided 
silk colours, which they presented to the companies, 
painted with different devices and mottos, which I 
supplied. 



198 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

The officers of the companies composing the Phila- 
delphia regiment being met, chose me for their colo- 
nel, but, conceiving myself unfit, I declined that 
station, and recommended Mr. Lawrence, a fine per- 
son and a man of influence, who was accordingly ap- 
pointed. I then proposed a lottery to defray the ex- 
pense of building a battery below the town, and 
furnished with cannon. It filled expeditiously, and 
the battery was soon erected, the merlons being 
framed of logs, and filled with earth.* We bought 
some old cannon from Boston ; but these not being 

* It appears that the Proprietaries were not pleased with 
his scheme of associating for the defence of the province. 
They deemed it an illegal act, and an exercise of too much 
power, to unite in this manner without the previous sanc- 
tion of the government ; and they feared it would prove a 
dangerous precedent, by encouraging the people to form 
combinations for making new claims to civil privileges, 
and new encroachments on the prerogatives of the Pro- 
prietaries. 

As cannon were afterwards sent from England, it is 
probable that the Proprietaries became reconciled to the 
Association, when they were more fully informed of its 
objects. 

" The new large cannon, that lately arrived from England, 
purchased by the managers of the lottery, being mounted 
on the great battery, on Monday last, the associators of this 
city met under arms and marched thither, where they were 
saluted with one-and-twenty guns, and named the battery 
The Association. " — Pennsylvania Gazette, September 1st, 
1748. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 199 

sufficient we wrote to London for more, soliciting at 
the same time our Proprietaries for some assistance, 
though without much expectation of obtaining it. 

Meanwhile Colonel Lawrence, Mr. Allen, Abraham 
Taylor, and myself were sent to New York by the as- 
sociators, commissioned to borrow some cannon of 
Governor Clinton. He at first refused us peremp- 
torily; but at a dinner with his council, where there 
was great drinking of Madeira wine, as the custom of 
that place then was, he softened by degrees, and said 
he would lend us six. After a few more bumpers he 
advanced to ten, and at length he very good-naturedly 
conceded eighteen. They were fine cannon, eigh teen- 
pounders, with their carriages, which were soon trans- 
ported and mounted on our batteries, where the asso- 
ciators kept a nightly guard, while the war lasted, 
and among the rest I regularly took my turn of duty 
there as a common soldier. 

My activity in these operations was agreeable to 
the Governor and Council; they took me into confi- 
dence, and I was consulted by them in every measure 
where their concurrence was thought useful to the 
Association. Calling in the aid of religion, I pro- 
posed to them the proclaiming a fast, to promote 
reformation, and implore the blessing of heaven on 
our undertaking. They embraced the motion ; but, 
as it was the first fast ever thought of in the province, 
the secretary had no precedent from which to draw 



200 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

the proclamation. My education in New England, 
where a fast is proclaimed every year, was here of 
some advantage; I drew it in the accustomed style; 
it was translated into German, printed in both lan- 
guages, and circulated through the province. This 
gave the clergy of the different sects an opportunity 
of influencing their congregations to join the Associa- 
tion, and it would probably have been general among 
all but the Quakers, if the peace had not soon inter- 
vened. 

It was thought by some of my friends, that, by my 
activity in these affairs, I should offend that sect, and 
thereby lose my interest in the Assembly of the prov- 
ince, where they form a great majority. A young 
man, who had likewise some friends in the Assembly, 
and wished to succeed me as their clerk, acquainted 
me, that it was decided to displace me at the next 
election; and he, through good-will, advised me to 
resign, as more consistent with my honour than being 
turned out. My answer to him was, that I had read 
or heard of some public man, who made it a rule, 
never to ask for an office, and never to refuse one 
when offered to him. " I approve," said I, "of this 
rule, and shall practise it with a small addition: I 
shall never ash, never refuse, nor even eesign an 
office. If they will have my office of clerk to dispose 
of it to another, they shall take it from me. I will not, 
by giving it up, lose my right of some time or other 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 201 

making reprisal on my adversaries." I heard, how- 
ever, no more of this; I was chosen again unanimously 
as clerk at the next election. Possibly, as they dis- 
liked my late intimacy with the members of Council, 
who had joined the governors on all the disputes about 
military preparations, with which the House had long 
been harassed, they might have been pleased if I would 
voluntarily have left them; but they did not care to 
displace me on account merely of my zeal for the As- 
sociation, and they could not well give another reason. 

Indeed, I had some cause to believe that the de- 
fence of the country was not disagreeable to any of 
them, provided they were not required to assist in it. 
And I found that a much greater number of them 
than I could have imagined, though against offensive 
war, were clearly for the defensive. Many pamphlets 
l)ro and co7i were published on the subject, and some 
by good Quakers, in favour of defence; which, I be- 
lieve, convinced most of their young people. 

A transaction in our fire company gave me some 
insight into their prevailing sentiments. It had 
been proposed that we should encourage the scheme 
for building a battery by laying out the present stock, 
then about sixty pounds, in tickets of the lottery. 
By our rules no money could be disposed of till the 
next meeting after the proposal. The company con- 
sisted of thirty members, of whom twenty-two were 
Quakers, and eight only of other persuasions. We 



202 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

eight punctually attended the meeting, but, though 
we thought that some of the Quakers would join us, 
we were by no means sure of a majority. Only one 
Quaker, Mr. James Morris, appeared to oppose the 
measure. He expressed much sorrow that it had ever 
been proposed, as he said Friends were all against it, 
and it would create such discord as might break up 
the company. We told him that we saw no reason 
for that; we were the minority, and if Friends were 
against the measure and out-voted us we must and 
should, agreeably to the usage of all societies, submit. 
When the hour for business arrived, it was moved to 
put this to the vote; he allowed we might do it by 
the rules, but, as he could assure us that a number 
of members intended to be present for the purpose of 
opposing it, it would be but candid to allow a little 
time for their appearing. 

While we were disputing this a waiter came to tell 
me that two gentlemen below desired to speak with 
me. I went down, and found there two of our 
Quaker members. They told me there were eight of 
them assembled at a tavern just by; that they were 
determined to come and vote with us if there should 
be occasion, which they hoped would not be the case, 
and desired we should not call for their assistance if 
we could do without it, as their voting for such a 
measure might embroil them with their elders and 
friends. Being thus secure of a majority I went up, 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 203 

and, after a little seeming hesitation, agreed to a 
delay of another hour. This Mr. Morris allowed to 
be extremely fair. Not one of his opposing friends 
appeared, at which he expressed great surprise; and, 
at the expiration of the hour, we carried the resolu- 
tion eight to one; and as of the twenty-two Quakers 
eight were ready to vote with us, and thirteen by 
their absence manifested that they were not inclined 
to oppose the measure, I afterwards estimated the 
proportion of Quakers sincerely against defence as one 
to twenty-one only. For these were all regular mem- 
bers of the society and in good reputation among 
them., and who had notice of what was proposed at 
that meeting. 

The honourable and learned Mr. Logan, who had 
always been of that sect, wrote an address to them, 
declaring his approbation of defensive war, and sup- 
ported his opinion by many strong arguments. He 
put into my hands sixty pounds to be laid out in lot- 
tery tickets for the battery, with directions to apply 
what prizes might be drawn wholly to that service. 
He told me the following anecdote of his old master, 
William Penn, respecting defence. He came over 
from England when a young man with that Proprie- 
tary, and as his secretary. It was war-time, and 
their ship was chased by an armed vessel, supposed 
to be an enemy. Their captain prepared for defence, 
but told William Penn and his company of Quakers 



204 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

that he did not expect their assistance, and they 
might retire into the cabin, which they did, except 
James Logan, who chose to stay upon deck, and was 
quartered to a gun. The supposed enemy proved a 
friend, so there was no fighting; but when the secre- 
tary went down to communicate the intelligence, 
William Penn rebuked him severely for staying upon 
deck, and undertaking to assist in defending the ves- 
sel, contrary to the principles of Friends; especially 
as it had not been required by the captain. This ' 
reprimand, being before all the company, piqued 
the secretary, who answered, "I being thy servant, 
why did thee not order me to come down? But 
thee was willing enough that I should stay and 
help to fight the ship when thee thought there was 
danger." 

My being many years in the Assembly, a majority 
of which were constantly Quakers, gave me frequent 
opportunities of seeing the embarrassment given them 
by their principle against war whenever application 
was made to them, by order of the crown, to grant 
aids for military purposes. They were unwilling to 
offend government, on the one hand, by a direct re- 
fusal, and their friends, the body of the Quakers, on 
the other by a compliance contrary to their principles, 
using a variety of evasions to avoid complying, and 
modes of disguising the compliance when it became 
unavoidable. The common mode at last was to grant 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 205 

money under the phrase of its being ''for the King'^s 
use^'' and never to inquire how it was applied. 

But if the demand was not directly from the crown, 
that phrase was found not so proper, and some other 
was to be invented. Thus, when powder was wanting 
(I think it was for the garrison at Louisburg), and 
the government of New England solicited a grant of 
some from Pennsylvania, which was much urged on 
the House by Governor Thomas, they would not 
grant money to buy jyowder^ because that was an in- 
gredient of war, but they voted an aid to New Eng- 
land of three thousand pounds, to be put into the 
hands of the Governor, and appropriated for the pur- 
chase of bread, flour, wheat, or otlier grain. Some 
of the Council, desirous of giving the House still 
further embarrassment, advised the Governor not to 
accept that provision, as not being the thing he had 
demanded; but he replied, " I shall take the money, 
for I understand very well their meaning; other 
grain is gun-powder;" which he accordingly bought, 
and they never objected to it. 

It was in allusion to this fact, that when in our fire 
company we feared the success of our proposal in 
favor of the lottery, and I had said to a friend of 
mine, one of our members, " If we fail, let us move 
the purchase of a fire-engine with the money, the 
Quakers can have no objection to that: and then, if 
you nominate me and I you as a committee for that 



206 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

purpose, we will buy a great gun, which is certainly a 
pre engine:'' "I see," said he, "you have improved 
by being so long in the Assembly; your equivocal 
project would be just a match for their wheat or other 
grain." 

Those embarrassments that the Quakers suffered, 
from having established and published it as one of 
their principles that no kind of war was lawful, and 
which, being once published, they could not after- 
wards, however tliey might change their minds, easily 
get rid of, reminds me of what I think a more pru- 
dent conduct in another sect among us, that of the 
Dunkers. I was acquainted with one of its founders, 
Michael Weffare, soon after it appeared. He com- 
plained to me that they were grievously calumniated 
by the zealots of other persuasions, and charged with 
abominable principles and practices to which they 
were utter strangers. I told him this had always 
been the case with new sects, and that to put a stop 
to such ahuse I imagined it might be well to publish 
the articles of their belief and the rules of their dis- 
cipline. He said that it had been proposed among 
them, but not agreed to for this reason: "When we 
were first drawn together as a society," said he, "it 
had pleased God to enlighten our minds so far as to 
see that some doctrines which were esteemed truths 
were errors, and that others which we had esteemed 
errors were real truths. From time to time He has 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 207 | 

been pleased to afford us further light, and our prin- ; 

ciples have been improving and our errors diminish- ! 

ing. Now, we are not sure that we are arrived at the • 
end of this progression and at the perfection of spirit- 
ual or theological knowledge; and we fear that if we 

should once print our confession of faith, we should \ 

feel ourselves as if bound and confined by it, and per- \ 

haps be unwilling to receive further improvement, j 

and our successors still more so, as conceiving what ' 

their elders and founders had done to be something \ 

sacred — never to be departed from." ; 

This modesty in a sect is perhaps a single instance '■ 

in the history of mankind, every other sect supposing ; 

itself in possession of all truth, and that those who \ 

differ are so far in the wrong; like a man travelling i 

in foggy weather, those at some distance before him ! 
on the road he sees wrapped up in the fog as well 

as those behind him, and also the people in the fields i 

on each side; but near him all appears clear, though, ; 

in truth, he is as much in the fog as any of them, j 

To avoid this kind of embarrassment the Quakers : 

have of late years been gradually declining the public , 

service in the Assembly and in the magistracy, choos- ] 
ing rather to quit their power than their principle. 

In order of time I should have mentioned before i 

that having, in 1742, invented an open stove for the ^ 

better warming of rooms, and at the same time saving ' 

fuel, as the fresh air was warmed in entering, I made i 



208 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

a present of the model to Mr. Eobert Grace, one of 
my early friends, who, having an iron furnace, found 
the casting of the plates for these stoves a profitable 
thing, as they were growing in demand. To promote 
that demand I wrote and published a pamphlet en- 
titled " An Account of the new-invented Pennsylva- 
nian Fire-places, wherein their Construction and 
Manner of Operation are particularly explained, 
their advantages above every other Method of Warm- 
ing Eooms demonstrated, and all Objections that 
have been raised against the Use of them answered 
and obviated," &c. This pamphlet had a good effect; 
Governor Thomas was so pleased with the construction 
of this stove, as described in it, that he offered to 
give me a patent for the sole vending of them for a 
term of years, but I declined it from a principle which 
has ever weighed with me on such occasions, viz., 
tJiat as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of 
others^ ive should he glad of an opportunity to serve- 
others hy any inve7ition of ours, and this ive should do 
freely and generously. 

An ironmonger in London, however, assuming a 
good deal of my pamphlet, and working it up into 
his own, and making some small changes in the 
machine, which rather hurt its operation, got a 
patent for it there, and made, as I was told, a little 
fortune by it. And this is not the only instance of 
patents taken out of my inventions by others, though 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 209 

not always with the same success; which I never con- 
tested, as having no desire of profiting by patents my- 
self, and hating disputes. The use of these fire- 
places in very many houses, both here in Pennsylvania 
and the neighboring states, has been, and is, a great 
saving of wood to the inhabitants. 



CHAPTER IX. 

SCHEMES FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 

Peace being concluded, and the Association busi- 
ness therefore at an end, I turned my thoughts again 
to the affair of establishing an academy. The first 
step I took was to associate in the design a number 
of active friends, of whom the Junto furnished a 
good part; the next was to write and publish a pam- 
phlet, entitled, Projjosals i^elating to the Education of 
Youth 171 Pennsylvania. This I distributed among 
the principal inhabitants gratis; and as soon as I 
could suppose their minds a little prepared by the pe- 
rusal of it, I set on foot a subscription for opening and 
supporting an academy; it was to be paid in quotas 
yearly for five years; by so dividing it I judged the 
subscription might be larger; and I believe it was so, 
amounting to no less, if I remember right, than five 
thousand pounds. 

In the introduction to these proposals, I stated 
14 



210 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

their publication not as an act of mine, but of some 
jpuhlic- spirited gentlemen; avoiding as much as I could, 
according to my usual rule, the presenting of myself 
to the public as the author of any scheme for their 
benefit. 

The subscribers, to carry the project into imme- 
diate execution, chose out of their number twenty-four 
trustees and appointed Mr. Francis, then attorney- 
general, and myself, to draw up constitutions for the 
government of the academy; which being done and 
signed, a house was hired, masters engaged, and the 
schools opened; I think in the same year, 1749. 

The scholars increasing fast, the house was soon 
found too small, and we were looking out for a piece 
of ground, properly situated, with intent to build, 
when accident threw into our way a large house ready 
built, which with a few alterations might well serve 
our purpose. This was the building before men- 
tioned, erected by the hearers of Mr. Whitefield, and 
was obtained for us in the following manner. 

It is to be noted, that, the contributions to this 
building being made by people of different sects, care 
was taken in the nomination of trustees, in whom the 
building and ground were to be vested, that a pre- 
dominancy should not be given to any sect, lest in 
time that predominancy might be a means of appro- 
priating the whole to the use of such sect, contrary 
to the original intention. It was for this reason, 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 211 

that one of each sect was appointed : viz., one Chnrch- 
of-England man, one Presbyterian, one Baptist, one 
Moravian, &c., who, in case of vacancy by death, 
were to iill it by election from among the contributors. 
The Moravian happened not to please his colleagues, 
and on his death they resolved to have no other of 
that sect. The difficulty then was, how to avoid 
having two of some other sect, by means of the new 
choice. 

Several persons were named, and for that reason 
not agreed to. At length one mentioned me, with 
the observation that I was merely an honest man, 
and of no sect at all, which prevailed with them to 
choose me. The enthusiasm, which existed when 
the house was built, had long since abated, and its 
trustees had not been able to procure fresh contribu- 
tions for paying the ground rent, and discharging 
some other debts the building had occasioned, which 
embarrassed them greatly. Being now a member of 
both boards of trustees, that for the building, and 
that for the academy, I had a good opportunity of 
negotiating with both, and brought them finally to 
an agreement, by which the trustees for the building 
were to cede it to those of the academy; the latter 
undertaking to discharge the debt, to keep forever 
open in the building a large hall for occasional 
preachers, according to the original intention, and 
maintain a free school for the instruction of poor 



212 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

children. Writings were accordingly drawn: and, 
on pa37ing the debts, the trustees of the academy 
were put in possession of the premises; and, by 
dividing the great and lofty hall into stories, and 
different rooms above and below for the several 
schools, and purchasing some additional ground, the 
whole was soon made fit for our purpose, and the 
scholars removed into the building. The whole care 
and trouble of agreeing with the workmen, purchasing 
materials, and superintending the work, fell upon 
me ; and I went through it the n-ore cheerfully, as it 
did not then interfere with my private business; 
having the year before taken a very able, industrious, 
and honest partner, Mr. David Hall, with whose 
character I was well acquainted, as he had worked 
for me four years. He took off my hands all the care 
of the printing-office, paying me punctually my 
share of the profits. This partnership continued 
eighteen years, successfully for us both. 

The trustees of the academy, after a while, were 
incorporated by a charter from the Governor; their 
funds were increased by contributions in Britain, and 
grants of land from the Proprietaries, to which the 
Assembly has since made considerable addition; and 
thus was established the present University of Phila- 
delphia. I have been continued one of its trustees 
from the beginning, now near forty years, and have 
had the very great pleasure of seeing a number of the 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 213 

youth, who have received their education in it, dis- 
tinguished by their improved abilities, serviceable in 
public stations, and ornaments to their country.* 

When I was disengaged myself, as above mentioned, 
from private business, I flattered myself that, by the 
sufficient though moderate fortune I had acquired, 
I had secured leisure during the rest of my life for 
philosophical studies and amusements. I purchased 
all Dr. Spence's apparatus, who had come from 
England to lecture in Philadelphia, and I proceeded 
in my electrical experiments with great alacrity ; but 
the public, now considering me as a man of leisure, 
laid hold of me for their purposes; every part of our 

* A free school was likewise attached to the academy, as 
appears by the following advertisement in Franklin's 
Gazette, of September 19th, 1751 :— 

" Notice is hereby given, that on Monday, the 16th of this 
instant September, a free fichool will be opened, under the 
care and direction of the Trustees of the Academy, at the 
New Building, for the instruction of poor children gratis 
in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Those who are de- 
sirous of having their children admitted, may apply to any 
of the Trustees." 

Again, October 26th, 1752: "The charity school, opened 
by the Trustees in the Academy, now teaches reading, 
writing, and arithmetic to a hundred poor children, most 
of whom, though from eight to thirteen years of age, had 
never been sent to any school before ; nor did it seem likely 
many of them would ever have been sent to any school, if 
it had not been for this institution." 



214 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

civil government — and almost at the same time — 
imposing some duty upon me. The Governor put 
me into the commission of the peace; the corporation 
of the city chose me one of the common council, and 
soon after alderman ; and the citizens at large elected 
me a burgess to represent them in the Assembly. 
This latter station was the more agreeable to me, as 
I grew at length tired with sitting there to hear the 
debates, in- which, as clerk, I could take no part; 
and which were often so uninteresting, that I was 
induced to amuse myself with making magic squares 
or circles, or anything to avoid weariness; and I con- 
ceived my becoming a member would enlarge my 
power of doing good. I would not however insinuate, 
that my ambition was not flattered by all these pro- 
motions; it certainly was, for, considering my low 
beginning, they were great things to me; and they 
were still more pleasing, as being so many spontaneous 
testimonies of the public good opinion, and by me 
entirely unsolicited. 

The office of justice of the peace I tried a little, by 
attending a few courts, and sitting on the bench to 
hear causes; but finding that more knowledge of the 
common law than I possessed was necessary to act in 
that station with credit, I gradually withdrew from 
it; excusing myself by being obliged to attend the 
higher duties of a legislator in the Assembly. My 
election to this trust was repeated every year for ten 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 215 

years, ■without my ever asking any elector for his 
vote, or signifying, either directly or indirectly, any 
desire of being chosen. On taking my seat in the 
House, my son was appointed their clerk. 

The year following, a treaty being to be held with 
the Indians at Carlisle, the Governor sent a message 
to the House, proposing that they should nominate 
some of their members, to be joined with some mem- 
bers of Council, as commissioners for that purpose. 
The House named the Speaker (Mr. Norris) and my- 
self; and, being commissioned, we went to Carlisle^ 
and met the Indians accordingly. 

As those people are extremely apt to get drunk, 
and when so are very quarrelsome and disorderly, we 
strictly forbade the selling any liquor to them ; and 
when they complained of this restriction, we told 
them if they would continue sober during the treaty, 
we would give them plenty of rum when the business 
was over. They promised this, and they kept their 
promise, because they could get no rum; and the 
treaty was conducted very orderly, and concluded to 
mutual satisfaction. They then claimed and received 
the rum; this was in the afternoon. They were near 
one hundred men, women, and children; and were 
lodged in temporary cabins, built in the form of a 
square, just without the town. In the evening, 
hearing a great noise among them, the commissioners 
walked to see what was the matter. We found they 



216 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

had made a great bonfire in the middle of the square; 
they were all drunk, men and women, quarrelling 
and fighting. Their dark-colored bodies, seen only 
by the gloomy light of the bonfire, running after and 
beating one another with firebrands, accompanied by 
their horrid yellings, formed a scene the most re- 
sembling our ideas of an inferno that could well be 
imagined. There was no appeasing the tumult, and 
we retired to our lodging. At midnight a number 
of them came thundering at our door, demanding 
more rum, of which we took no notice. 

The next day, sensible they had misbehaved in 
giving us that disturbance, they sent three of their 
old counsellors to make their apology. The orator 
acknowledged the fault, but laid it upon the rum; 
and then endeavoured to excuse the rum, by saying, 
" The Great Spirit, who made all things, made every- 
thing for some use; and whatever use he designed 
anything for, that use it should always be put to. 
Now, when he made rum, he said, 'Let this he for the 
Indians to get drunk with^j and it must be so." 
And, indeed, if it be the design of Providence to 
extirpate these savages in order to make room for the 
cultivators of the earth, it seems not impossible that 
rum may be the appointed means. It has already 
annihilated all the tribes who formerly inhabited the 
sea-coast. 

In 1751, Dr. Thomas Bond, a particular friend of 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 217 

mine, conceived the idea of establishing a hospital in 
Philadelphia (a very beneficent design, which has 
been ascribed to me, but was originally and trnly 
his), for the reception and cure of poor sick persons 
whether inhabitants of the province or strangers. 
He was zealous and active in endeavouring to procure 
subscriptions for it; but the proposal being a novelty 
in America, and at first not well understood, he met 
with but little success. 

At length he came to me with the compliment, 
that he found there was no such a thing as carrying a 
public-spirited project through without my being 
concerned in it. "For," said he, "I am often asked 
by those to whom I propose subscribing. Have you 
consulted Franklin on tJiis business 9 And ivhat does 
he think of it ? And when I tell them that I have 
not, supposing it rather out of your line, they do not 
subscribe, but say, they loill consider it.'' I inquired 
into the nature and probable utility of this scheme, 
and receiving from him a very satisfactory explana- 
tion, I not only subscribed to it myself, but engaged 
heartily in the design of procuring subscriptions 
from others. Previously, however, to the solicita- 
tion, I endeavoured to prepare the minds of the people 
by writing on the subject in the newspapers, which 
was my usual custom in such cases, but which Dr. 
Bond had omitted. 

The subscriptions afterwards were more free and 



218 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

generous; but, beginning to flag, I saw they would 
be insufficient without some assistance from the 
Assembly, and therefore proposed to petition for it, 
which was done. The country members did not at 
first relish the project. They objected that it could 
only be serviceable to the city, and therefore the 
citizens alone should beat the expense of it; and 
they doubted whether the citizens themselves gener- 
ally approved of it. My allegation on the contrary, 
that it met with such approbation as to leave no 
doubt of our being able to raise two thousand pounds 
by voluntary donations, they considered as a most 
extravagant supposition, and utterly impossible. 

On this I formed my plan; and asking leave to 
bring in a bill for incorporating the contributors 
according to the prayer of their petition, and grant- 
ing them a blank sum of money, which leave was 
obtained chiefly on the consideration that the House 
could throw the bill out if they did not like it, I 
drew it so as to make the important clause a condi- 
tional one: viz., "And be it enacted, by the author- 
ity aforesaid, that, when the said contributors shall 
have met and chosen their managers and treasurer, 
and shall have raised by their contributions a capital 
stock of two thousand pounds value (the yearly inter- 
est of which is to be applied to the accommodation of 
the sick poor in the said hospital, and of charge for 
diet, attendance, advice, and medicines), and shall 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 219 

maJce the same appear to the satisfaction of the 
Speaker of the Assemhly }or the time leing^ and then 
it shall and may be lawful for the said Speaker, and 
he is hereby required, to sign an order on the pro- 
vincial treasurer, for the payment of two thousand 
pounds, in two yearly payments, to the treasurer of 
the said hospital, to be applied to the founding, 
building, and finishing of the same." 

This condition carried the bill through; for the 
members who had opposed the grant, and now con- 
ceived they might have the credit of being charitable 
without the expense, agreed to its passage. And then, 
in soliciting subscriptions among the people, we 
urged the conditional promise of the law as an addi- 
tional motive to give, since every man's donation 
■would be doubled ; thus the clause worked both ways. 
The subscriptions accordingly soon exceeded the 
requisite sum, and we claimed and received the public 
gift, which enabled us to carry the design into execu- 
tion. A convenient and handsome building was soon 
erected ; the institution has by constant experience 
been found useful, and flourishes to this day; and I 
do not remember any of my political manoeuvres the 
success of which at the time gave me more pleasure, 
or wherein, after thinking of it, I more easily 
excused myself for having made some use of cunning.* 

*The principal facts, respecting the origin and establish- 
ment of the Hospital, are contained in a quarto pamphlet, 



220 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

It was about this time that another projector, the 
Eeverend Gilbert Tennent, came to me with a request, 
that I would assist him in procuring a subscription 
for erecting a new meeting-house. It was to be for 
the use of a congregation he had gathered among the 
Presbyterians, who were originally disciples of Mr. 
Wbitefield. Unwilling to make myself disagreeable 
to my fellow-citizens, by too frequently soliciting 
their contributions, I absolutely refused. He then 
desired I would furnish him with a list of the names 
of persons I knew by experience to be generous and 
public-spirited. I thought it would be unbecoming 
in me, after their kind compliance with my solicita- 
tions, to mark them out to be worried by other 
beggars, and therefore refused to give such a list. 
He then desired I would at least give him my advice. 
"That I will readily do," said I; "and, in the first 

entitled ^^ Some Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital from 
its first rise to the beginning of the Fifth Month, called May, 
175 Jf, Philadelphia : printed by B. Frariklin and D. Hall. " 
The bill, alluded to in the text, makes a part of this pam- 
phlet ; and also two papers previously published in the 
Pennsylvania Gazette, showing the benefits of such an in- 
stitution, and urging contributions to the fund from 
motives of benevolence and charity. The names of the 
original contributors are likewise printed in this pamphlet, 
and among them is that of Franklin. The preliminary ar- 
rangements were completed, and the first managers were 
elected, on the 1st of July, 1751. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 321 

place, I advise you to apply to all those who you 
know will give something; next to those of whom 
you are uncertain whether they will give anything or 
not, and show them the list of those who have given ; 
and lastly, do not neglect those who you are sure will 
give nothing; for in some of them you may be 
mistaken." He laughed and thanked me, and said 
he would take my advice. He did so, for he asked 
of everybody; and he obtained a much larger sum 
than he expected, with which he erected the capa- 
cious and elegant meeting-house that stands in Arch 
Street. 

Our city, though laid out with beautiful regularity, 
the streets large, straight, and crossing each other 
at right angles, had the disgrace of sujEfering those 
streets to remain long unpaved, and in wet weather 
the wheels of heavy carriages ploughed them into a 
quagmire, so that it was difficult to cross them ; and 
in dry weather the dust was offensive. I had lived 
near what was called the Jersey Market, and saw 
with pain the inhabitants wading in mud, while 
purchasing their provisions. A strip of ground down 
the middle of that market was at length paved with 
brick, so that, being once in the market, they had 
firm footing ; but were often over shoes in dirt to 
get there. By talking and writing on the subject, I 
was at length instrumental in getting the street paved 
with stone between the market and the brick foot 



222 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

pavement, that was on the side next the houses. 
This, for some time, gave an easy access to the 
market dry-shod ; but, the rest of the street not being 
paved, whenever a carriage came out of the mud 
upon this pavement, it shook oft and left its dirt 
upon it, and it was soon covered with mire, which 
was not removed, the city as yet having no 
scavengers. 

After some inquiry, I found a poor industrious 
man, who was willing to undertake keeping the pave- 
ment clean, by sweeping it twice a week, carrying off 
the dirt from before all the neighbours' doors, for the 
sum of sixpence per month, to be paid by each 
house. I then wrote and printed a paper setting 
forth the advantages to the neighbourhood, that might 
be obtained from this small expense; the greater ease 
in keeping our houses clean, so much dirt not being 
brought in by people's feet; the benefit to the shops 
by more custom, as buyers could more easily get 
at them; and by not having in windy weather the 
dust blown in upon their goods, &c., &c. I sent one 
of these papers to each house, and in a day or two 
went round to see who would subscribe an agreement 
to pay these sixpences; it was unanimously signed, 
and for a time well executed. All the inhabitants of 
the city were delighted with the cleanliness of the 
pavement that surrounded the market, it being a 
convenience to all, and this raised a general desire to 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 223 

have all the streets paved ; and made the people more 
willing to submit to a tax for that purpose. 

After some time I drew a bill for paving the city, 
and brought it into the Assembly. It was just before 
1 went to England, in 1757, and did not pass till I 
was gone, and then with an alteration in the mode of 
assessment, which I thought not for the better; but 
with an additional provision for lighting as well as 
paving the streets, which was a great improvement. 
It was by a private person, the late Mr. John Clifton, 
giving a sample of the utility of lamps, by placing 
one at his door, that the people were first impressed 
with the idea of lighting all the city. The honour of 
this public benefit has also been ascribed to me, but 
it belongs truly to that gentleman. I did but follow 
his example, and have only some merit to claim re- 
specting the form of our lamps, as differing from the 
globe lamps, we were at first supplied with from Lon- 
don. They were found inconvenient in these re- 
spects: they admitted no air below; the smoke there- 
fore did not readily go out above, but circulated in 
the globe, lodged on its inside, and soon obstructed 
the light they were intended to afford; giving besides 
the daily trouble of wiping them clean ; and an acci- 
dental stroke on one of them would demolish it, and 
render it totally useless. I therefore suggested the 
composing them of four flat panes, with a long fun- 
nel above to draw up the smoke, and crevices admit- 



22i AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ting the air below to facilitate the ascent of the 
smoke; by this means they were kept clean, and did 
not grow dark in a few hours, as the London lamps 
do, but continued bright till morning; and an acci- 
dental stroke would generally break but a single pane, 
easily repaired. 

I have sometimes wondered that the Londoners did 
not, from the effect holes in the bottom of the globe 
lamps used at Vauxhall have in keeping them clean, 
learn to have such holes in their street lamps. But, 
these holes being made for another purpose, viz., to 
communicate flame more suddenly to the wick by a 
litfcle flax hanging down through them, the other use, 
of letting in air, seems not to have been thought of; 
and therefore, after the lamps have been lit si few 
hours, the streets of London are very poorly illu- 
minated. 

The mention of these improvements puts me in 
mind of one I proposed, when in London, to Dr. 
Fothergill, who was among the best men I have 
known, and a great promoter of useful projects. I 
had observed, that the streets, when dry, were never 
swept, and the light dust carried away; but it was 
suffered to accumulate till wet weather reduced it to 
mud; and then, after lying some days so deep on the 
pavement that there was no crossing but in paths 
kept clean by poor people with brooms, it was with 
great labour raked together and thrown up into carts, 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 235 

open above, the sides of which suffered some of the 
slush at every jolt on the pavement to shake out and 
fall; sometimes to the annoyance of foot-passengers. 
The reason given for not sweeping the dusty streets 
was, that the dust would fly into the windows of 
shops and houses. 

An accidental occurrence had instructed me how 
much sweeping might be done in a little time. I 
found at my door in Craven street, one morning, a 
poor woman sweeping my pavement with a birch- 
broom; she appeared very pale and feeble, as just 
come out of a fit of sickness. I asked who employed 
her to sweep there; she said, "Nobody; but I am 
poor, and in distress, and I sweeps before geutle- 
folkeses doors,- and hopes they will give me some- 
thing." I bid her sweep the' whole street clean, and 
I would give her a shilling; this was at nine o'clock; 
and at noon she came for the shilling. From the 
slowness I saw at first in her working, I could scarce 
believe that the work was done so soon, and sent my 
servant to examine it, who reported that the whole 
street was swept perfectly clean, and all the dust 
placed in the gutter, which was in the middle; and • 
the next rain washed it quite away, so that the pave- ' 
ment and even the kennel were perfectly clean. 

I then judged that, if that feeble woman could 
sweep such a street in three hours, a strong active 
man might have done it in half the time. And here 
15 



226 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

let me remark, the convenience of having but one 
gutter in such a narrow street running down its mid- 
dle instead of two, one on each side near the footway. 
For where all the rain that falls on a street runs from 
the sides and meets in the middle, it forms there a 
current strong enough to wash away all the mud it 
meets with; but when divided into two channels, it 
is often too weak to cleanse either, and only makes the 
mud it finds more fluid ; so that the wheels of car- 
riages and feet of horses throw and dash it upon the 
foot pavement, which is thereby rendered foul and 
slippery, and sometimes splash it upon those who are 
walking. My proposal, communicated to the Doc- 
tor, was as follows : — 

" For the more effectually cleaning and keeping 
clean the streets of London and Westminster, it is 
proposed, that the several watchmen be contracted 
with to have the dust swept up in dry seasons, and 
the mud raked up at other times, each in the several 
streets and lanes of his round ; that they be furnished 
with brooms and other proper instruments for these 
purposes, to be kept at their respective stands, ready to 
furnish the poor people they may employ in the service. 

" That in the dry summer months the dust be all 
swept up into heaps at proper distances, before the 
shops and windows of houses are usually opened; 
when scavengers, with close covered carts, shall also 
carry it all away. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 227 

"That the mud, when raked up, be not left in 
heaps to be spread abroad again by the wheels of car- 
riages and trampling of horses; but tliat the scaven- 
gers be provided with bodies of carts, not placed 
high upon wheels, but low upon sliders, with lat- 
tice bottoms, which, being covered with straw, 
will retain the mud thrown into them, and permit 
the water to drain from it; whereby it will become 
much lighter, water making the greatest part of the 
weight. These bodies of carts to be placed at con- 
venient distances, and the mud brought to them in 
wheelbarrows; they remaining where placed till the 
mud is drained, and then horses brought to draw 
them away." 

I have since had doubts of the practicability of the 
latter part of this proposal, in all places, on account 
of the narrowness of some streets, and the difficulty 
of placing the draining sleds so as not to encumber 
too much the passage; but I am still of opinion that 
the former, requiring the dust to be swept up and 
carried away before the shops are open, is very prac- 
ticable in the summer, when the days are long; for, 
in walking through the Strand and Fleet Street one 
morning at seven o'clock, I observed there was not 
one shop open, though it had been daylight and the 
sun up above three hours; the inhabitants of London 
choosing voluntarily to live much by candle-light, and 
sleep by sunshine : and yet often complain, a little 



228 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

absurdly, of the duty on candles, and the high price 
of tallow. 

Some may think these trifling matters not worth 
minding or relating; but when they consider that 
though dust blown into the eyes of a single person, 
or into a single shop in a windy day, is but of small 
importance, yet the great number of the instances in 
a populous city, and its frequent repetition, gives it 
weight and consequence, perhaps they will not cen- 
sure very severely those who bestow some attention to 
affairs of this seemingly low nature. Human felicity 
is produced not so much by great pieces of good for- 
tune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that 
occur every day. Thus, if you teach a poor young 
man to shave himself, and keep his razor in order, 
you may contribute more to the happiness of his life 
than in giving him a thousand guineas. This sum 
may be soon spent, the regret only remaining of hay- 
ing foolishly consumed it; but in the other case, he 
escapes the frequent vexation of waiting for barbers, 
and of their sometimes dirty fingers, offensive breaths, 
and dull razors; he shaves when most convenient to 
him, and enjoys daily the pleasure of its being done 
with a good instrument. With these sentiments I have 
hazarded the few preceding pages, hoping they may af- 
ford hints, which some time or other may be useful to a 
city I love, having lived many years in it very happily, 
and perhaps to some of our towns in America. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 229 

Having been some time employed by the postmas- 
ter-general of America, as his comptroller in regulat- 
ing several offices, and bringing the officers to ac- 
count, I was, upon his death, in 1753, appointed 
jointly with Mr. William Hunter to succeed him, by a 
commission from the postmaster-general in England. 
The American office had hitherto never paid anything 
to that of Britain. We were to have six hundred 
pounds a year between us, if we could make that sum 
out of the profits of the office. To do this, a variety of 
improvements was necessary ; some of these were inevi- 
tably at first expensive ; so that in the first four years 
the office became above nine hundred pounds in debt to 
us. But it soon after began to repay us : and before 
I was displaced by a freak of the ministers, of which 
I shall speak hereafter, we had brought it to yield three 
times as much clear revenue to the Crown as the post- 
office of Ireland. Since that imprudent transaction, 
they have received from it — not one farthing! 

The business of the post-office occasioned my tak- 
ing a journey this year to New England, where the 
College of Cambridge, of their own motion, pre- 
sented me with the degree of Master of Arts. Yale 
College in Connecticut had before made me a similar 
compliment. Thus, without studying in any college, 
I came to partake of their honours. They were con- 
ferred in consideration of my improvements and dis- 
coveries in the electric branch of natural philosophy. 



330 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

CHAPTER X. 

ASSISTING GENERAL BRADDOCK. 

In 1754, war with France being again apprehended, 
a congress of commissioners from the different colo- 
nies was by an order of the Lords of Trade to be as- 
sembled at Albany; there to confer with the chiefs of 
the Six Nations, concerning the means of defending 
both their country and ours. Governor Hamilton 
having received this order acquainted the House with 
it, requesting they would furnish proper presents for 
the Indians, to be given on this occasion ; and naming 
the Speaker (Mr. Norris) and myself to join Mr. 
John Penn and Mr. Secretary Peters as commissioners 
to act for Pennsylvania. The House approved the 
nomination, and provided the goods for the presents, 
though they did not much like treating out of the 
province; and we met the other commissioners at 
Albany about the middle of June. 

In our way thither, I projected and drew up a plan 
for the union of all the colonies under one govern- 
ment, so far as might be necessary for defence, and 
other important general purposes. As we passed 
through New York, I had there shown my project to 
Mr. James Alexander and Mr. Kennedy, two gentle- 
men of great knowledge in public affairs; and, being 
fortified by their approbation, I ventured to lay it 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 231 

before the Congress. It then appeared that several 
of the commissioners had formed plans of the same 
kind. A previous question was first taken, whether a 
union should be established, which passed in the 
affirmative unanimously. A committee was then ap- 
pointed, one member from each colony, to consider 
the several plans and report. Mine happened to be 
preferred; and, with a few amendments, was accord- 
ingly reported. 

By this plan the general government Avas to be ad- 
ministered by a President-general, appointed and 
supported by the Crown ; and a grand council was to 
be chosen by the representatives of the people of the 
several colonies, met in their respective Assemblies. 
The debates upon it in Congress went on daily, hand 
in hand with the Indian business. Many objections 
and difficulties were started; but at length they were 
all overcome, and the plan was unanimously agreed 
to, and copies ordered to be transmitted to the Board 
of Trade and to the Assemblies of the several prov- 
inces. Its fate was singular; the Assemblies did not 
adopt it, as they all thought there was too much 
prerogative in it; and in England it was judged to 
have too much of the de7nocratic. The Board of 
Trade did not approve it, nor recommend it for the 
approbation of His Majesty; but another scheme was 
formed, supposed to answer the same purpose better, 
whereby the governors of the provinces, with some 



233 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

members of their respective councils, were to meet 
and order the raising of troops, building of forts, &c., 
and to draw on the treasury of Great Britain for the 
expense, which was afterwards to be refunded by an 
act of Parliament, laying a tax on America. My 
plan, with my reasons in support of it, is to be found 
among my political papers that were printed. 

Being the winter following in Boston, I had much 
conversation with Governor Shirley upon both the 
plans. Part what passed between us on this occasion 
may also be seen among those papers. The different 
and contrary reasons of dislike to my plan makes me 
suspect that it was really the true medium ; and I am 
still of opinion it would have been happy for both sides 
if it had been adopted. The colonies so united would 
have been sufficiently strong to have defended them- 
selves; there would then have been no need of troops 
from England : of course the subsequent pretext for 
taxing America, and the bloody contest it occasioned, 
would have been avoided. But such mistakes are 
not new ; history is full of the errors of states and 
princes. 

^'Look round the habitable world, how few 
Know their own good, or, knowing it, pursue !" 

Those who govern, having much business on their 
Tiands, do not generally like to take the trouble of 
•considering and carrying into execution new projects. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 233 

The best public measures are therefore seldom adopted 
from previous wisdom, but forced by the occasiou. 

The Governor of Pennsylvania, in sending it down 
to the Assembly, expressed his approbation of the 
plan, " as appearing to him to be drawn up with great 
clearness and strength of judgment, and therefore 
recommended it as well worthy of their closest and 
most serious attention." The House, however, by 
the management of a certain member, took it up 
when I happened to be absent, which I thought not 
very fair, and reprobated it without paying any at- 
tention to it at all, to my no small mortification. 

In my journey to Boston this year, I met at New 
York with our new Governor, Mr. Morris, just 
arrived there from England, with whom I had been 
before intimately acquainted. He brought a com- 
mission to supersede Mr. Hamilton, who, tired with 
the disputes his proprietary instructions subjected him 
to, had resigned. Mr. Morris asked me if I thought 
he must expect as uncomfortable an administration. 
I said, "No; you may on the contrary have a very 
comfortable one, if you will only take care not to 
enter into any dispute with the Assembly." ".My 
dear friend," said he pleasantly, "how can you advise 
my avoiding disputes? You know I love disputing, 
it is one of my greatest pleasures; however, to show 
the regard I have for your counsel, I promise you I 
will, if possible, avoid them." He had some reason 



334 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

for loving to dispute: being eloquent, an acute 
sophister, and therefore generally successful in argu- 
mentative conversation. He had been brought up to 
it from a boy, his father, as I have heard, accustom- 
ing his children to dispute with one another for his 
diversion, while sitting at table after dinner; but I 
think the practice was not wise, for, in the course of 
my observation, those disputing, contradicting, and 
confuting people are generally unfortunate in their 
affairs. They get victory sometimes, but they never 
get good-will, which would be of more use to them. 
We parted; he going to Philadelphia, and I to 
Boston. 

In returning I met at ISiew York with the votes of 
the Assembly of Pennsylvania, by which it appeared 
that, notwithstanding his promise to me, he and the 
House were already in high contention; and it was a 
continual battle between them as long as he retained 
the government. I had my share of it, for as soon as 
I got back to my seat in the Assembly I was put on 
every committee for answering his speeches and mes- 
sages, and by the committees always desired to make 
the drafts. Our answers, as well as his messages, 
were often tart, and sometimes indecently abusive;, 
and, as he knew I wrote for the Assembly, one might 
have imagined that when we met we could hardly 
avoid cutting throats. But he was so good-natured 
a man that no personal difference between him and 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 235 

me was occasioned by the contest, and we often dined 
together. 

One afternoon, in the height of this public quarrel, 
we met in the street. "Franklin," said he, "you 
must go home with me and spend the evening; I am 
to have some company that you will like;" and, tak- 
ing me by the arm, led me to his house. In gay 
conversation after supper he told us jokingly that he 
much admired the idea of Sancho Panza, who, when 
it was proposed to give him a government, requested 
it might be a government of blacks, as then, if he 
could not agree with his people, he might sell them. 
One of his friends, who sat next to me, said, "Frank- 
lin, why do you continue to side with those Quakers? 
Had you not better sell them? The Proprietor would 
give you a good price." "The Governor," said I, 
" has not yet Hacked them enough." He indeed had 
laboured hard to blacken the Assembly in all his mes- 
sages, but they wiped off his colouring as fast as he 
laid it on, and placed it, in return, thick upon his 
own face; so that, finding he was likely to be negro- 
fied himself, he, as well as Mr. Hamilton, grew tired 
of the contest, and quitted the government. 

These public quarrels were all at bottom owing to 
the Proprietaries, our hereditary governors, who, 
when any expense was to be incurred for the defence 
of their province, with incredible meanness, instructed 
their deputies to pass no act levying the necessary 



236 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

taxes unless their vast estates were in the same act 
expressly exonerated ; and they had even taken the 
bonds of these deputies to observe such instructions. 
The Assemblies for three years held out against this 
injustice, though constrained to bend at last. At 
length Captain Denny, who was Governor Morris's 
successor, ventured to disobey those instructions. 
How that was brought about I shall show hereafter. 

But I am got forward too fast with my story. 
There are still some transactions to be mentioned 
that happened during the administration of Governor 
Morris. 

War being in a manner commenced with France, 
the government of Massachusetts Bay projected an 
attack upon Crown Point, and sent Mr. Quincy to 
Pennsylvania, and Mr. Pownall, afterwards Gover- 
nor Pownall, to New York, to solicit assistance. As 
I was in the Assembly, knew its temper, and was Mr. 
Quincy's countryman, he applied to me for my in- 
fluence and assistance. I dictated his address to 
them, which was well received. They voted an aid 
of ten thousand pounds, to be laid out in provisions. 
Bnt the Governor refusing his assent to their bill 
(which included this with other sums granted for the 
use of the Crown), unless a clause were inserted ex- 
empting the proprietary estate from bearing any part 
of the tax that would be necessary, the Assembly, 
though very desirous of making their grant to New 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 237 

England effectual, were at a loss how to accomplish 
it. Mr. Quincy laboured hard with the Governor to 
obtain his assent, but he was obstinate. 

I then suggested a method of doing the business 
without the Governor, by orders on the trustees of 
the Loan Office, which by law the Assembly had the 
right of drawing. There was indeed little or no 
money at the time in the office, and, therefore, 1 
proposed that the orders should be payable in a year, 
and to bear an interest of five per cent. With these 
orders I supposed the provisions might easily be pur- 
chased. The Assembly, with very little hesitation, 
adopted the proposal. The orders were immediately 
printed, and I was one of the committee directed to 
sign and dispose of them. The fund for paying them 
was the interest of all the paper currency then extant 
in the province upon loan, together with the revenue 
arising from the excise, which being known to be 
more than sufficient, they obtained credit, and were 
not only taken in payment for the provisions, but 
many moneyed people who had cash lying by them 
vested it in those orders, which they found advanta- 
geous, as they bore interest while upon hand, and 
might on any occasion be used as money, so that they 
were eagerly all bought up, and in a few weeks none 
of them was to be seen. Thus this important affair 
was by my means completed. Mr. Quincy returned 
thanks to the Assembly in a handsome memorial, 



238 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

went home highly pleased with the success of his em- 
bassy, and ever after bore for me the most cordial 
and affectionate friendship. 

The British government, not choosing to permit 
the union of the colonies as proposed at Albany, and 
to trust that union with their defence, lest they 
should thereby grow too military, and feel their own 
strength, suspicion and jealousies at this time being 
entertained of them, sent over General Braddock, 
with two regiments of regular English troops for that 
purpose. He landed at Alexandria in Virginia, and 
then marched to Frederictown in Maryland, where 
he halted for carriages. Our Assembly apprehend- 
ing, from some information, that he had received 
violent prejudices against them, as averse to the ser- 
vice, wished me to wait upon him, not as from them, 
but as postmaster-general, under the guise of propos- 
ing to settle with him the mode of conducting with 
most celerity and certainty the despatches between 
him and the governors of the several provinces, with 
whom he must necessarily have continual correspond- 
ence, and of which they proposed to pay the expense. 
My son accompanied me on this journey. 

We found the General at Frederictown, waiting 
impatiently for the return of those he had sent 
through the back parts of Maryland and Virginia to 
collect wagons. I stayed with him several days, dined 
with him daily, and had full opportunities of remov- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 339 

ing Lis prejudices, by the information of what the 
Assembly had before his arrival actually done, and 
were still willing to do to facilitate his operations. 
When I was about to depart, the returns of wagons 
to be obtained were brought in, by which it appeared 
that they amounted only to twenty-five, and not all 
of those were in serviceable condition. The General 
and all the officers were surprised, declared the ex- 
pedition was then at an end, being impossible, and 
exclaimed against the ministers for ignorantly sending 
them into a country destitute of the means of convey- 
ing their stores, baggage, &c., not less than one hun- 
dred and fifty wagons being necessary. 

I happened to say, I thought it was a pity they had 
not been landed in Pennsylvania, as in that country 
almost every farmer had his wagon. The General 
eagerly laid hold of my words, "Then yon, sir, who 
are a man of interest there, can probably procure 
them for us, and I beg yon will undertake it." I 
asked what terms were to be offered the owners of the 
wagons, and I was desired to put on paper the terms 
that appeared to me necessary. This I did, and they 
were agreed to, and a commission and instructions 
accordingly prepared immediately. What those terms 
were will appear in the advertisement I published as 
soon as I arrived at Lancaster, which being, from the 
great and sudden effect it produced, a piece of some 
curiosity, I shall insert it at length as follows: — 



24C AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

" Advertisement. 

"Lancaster, April 26th, 1755. 
"Whereas, one hundred and fifty wagons, with four 
horses to each wagon, and fifteen hundred saddle or pack 
horses, are wanted for the service of his Majesty's forces, 
now about to rendezvous at Will's Creek ; and his Excel- 
lency General Braddock having been pleased to empower 
me to contract for the hire of the same; I hereby givei 
notice, that I shall attend for that purpose, at Lancaster, 
from this day to next Wednesday evening ; and at York, 
from next Thursday morning till Friday evening ; where I 
shall be ready to agree for wagons and teams, or single 
horses, on the following terms, viz. : 1. That there shall be 
paid for each wagon, with four good horses and a driver, 
fifteen shillings per diem; and for each able horse with a 
pack-saddle, or other saddle and furniture, two shillings 
per diem ; and for each able horse without a saddle, eighteen 
pence pe?^ diem. 2. That the pay commence from the time 
of their joining the forces, at Will's Creek, which must be 
on or before the 20th of May ensuing, and that a reasonable 
allowance be paid over and above, for the time necessary 
for their travelling to Will's Creek, and home again after 
their discharge. 3. Each wagon and team, and every 
saddle or pack-horse is to be valued by indifferent persons 
chosen between me and the owner ; and, in case of the loss 
of any wagon, team, or other horse in the service, the price 
according to such valuation is to be allowed and paid. 4. 
Seven days' pay is to be advanced and paid in hand by me ^ 
to the owner of each wagon and team, or horse, at the time 
of contracting, if required ; and the remainder to be paid 
by General Braddock, or by the paymaster of the army, at 
the time of their discharge ; or from time to time, as it 
shall be demanded. 5. No drivers of wagons, or persons 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 241 

taking care of the hired horses, are on any account to h& 
called upon to do the duty of soldiers, or be otherwise em- 
ployed than in conducting or taking care of their carriages 
or horses. 6. All oats, Indian corn, or other forage, that 
wagons or horses bring to the camp, more than is necessary 
for the subsistence of the horses, is to be taken for the use 
of the army, and a reasonable price paid for the same. 

''Note. — My son, William Franklin, is empowered ta 
enter into like contracts with any person in Cumberland 
County. "B. Franklin." 

" To the Inhabitants of the Counties of Lancaster, York, and 
Cumberland. 

"Friends and Countrymen, 

" Being occasionally at the camp at Frederic a few days 
since, I found the General and officers extremely exasper- 
ated on account of their not being supplied with horses and 
carriages, which had been expected from this province, as 
most able to furnish them ; but, through the dissensions 
between our Governor and Assembly, money had not been 
provided, nor any steps taken for that purpose. 

" It was proposed to send an armed force immediately 
into these counties, to seize as many of the best carriages 
and horses as should be wanted, and compel as many per- 
sons into the service as would be necessary to drive and 
take care of them. 

" I apprehend, that the progress of British soldiers through 
these counties on such an occasion, especially considering 
the temper they are in, and their resentment against us, 
would be attended with many and great inconveniences to 
the inhabitants, and therefore more willingly took the 
trouble of trying first what might be done by fair and 
iqeutable means. The people of these back counties have 
16 



242 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

lately complained to the Assembly, that a sufficient cur- 
rency was wanting ; you have an opportunity of receiving 
and dividing among you a very considerable sum ; for, if 
the service of this expedition should continue, as it is more 
than probable it will, for one hundred and twenty days, 
the hire of these wagons and horses will amount to upwards 
of thirtj^ thousand pounds ; which will be paid you in silver 
and gold, of the King's money. 

"The service will be light and easy, for the array will 
scarce march above twelve miles per day, and the wagons 
and baggage horses, as they carry those things that are 
absolutely necessary to the welfare of the army, must 
march with the army, and no faster ; and are, for the army's 
sake, always placed where they can be most secure, whether 
in a march or in a camp. 

"If you are really, as I believe you are, good and loyal 
subjects to his Majesty, you may now do a most acceptable 
service, and make it easy to yourselves ; for three or four 
of such as cannot separately spare from the business of 
their plantations, a wagon and four horses and a driver, 
may do it together ; one furnishing the wagon, another one 
or two horses, and another the driver, and divide the pay 
proportionably between you. But, if you do not this service 
to your King and country voluntarily, when such good pay 
and reasonable terms are offered to you, your loyalty will 
be strongly suspected. The King's business must be done ; 
so many brave troops, come so far for your defence, must 
not stand idle through your backwardness to do what may 
be reasonably expected from you ; wagons and horses must 
be had ; violent measures will probably be used ; and you 
will be left to seek for a recompense where you can find it, 
and your case perhaps be little pitied or regarded. 

"I have no particular interest in this affair, as, except 
the satisfaction of endeavouring to do good, I shall have 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 243 

only my labour for my pains. If this method of obtaining 
the wagons and horses is not likely to succeed, I am obliged 
to send word to the General in fourteen days ; and I suppose 
Sir John St. Clair, the hussar, with a body of soldiers, will 
immediately'' enter the province for the purpose ; which I 
shall be sorry to hear, because I am very sincerely and 
truly your friend and well-wisher, 

"B. Franklin." 

I received of the General about eight hundred 
pounds, to be disbursed in advance money to the 
wagon owners; but, that sum being insufficient, I 
advanced upwards of two hundred pounds more; and 
in two weeks the one hundred and fifty wagons, with 
two hundred and fifty-nine carrying horses, were on 
their march for the camp. The advertisement prom- 
ised payment according to the valuation, in case any 
wagons or horses should be lost. The owners, how- 
ever, alleging they did not know General Braddock, 
or what dependence might be had on his promise, in- 
sisted on my bond for the performance; which I ac- 
cordingly gave them. 

While I was at the camp, supping one evening with 
the officers of Colonel Dunbar's regiment, he repre- 
sented to me his concern for the subalterns, who, he 
said, were generally not in affluence, and could ill 
afford in this dear country to lay in the stores that 
might be necessary in so long a march through a wil- 
derness, where nothing was to be purchased. I com- 
miserated their case, and resolved to endeavour pro- 



244 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ] 

curing them some relief. I said nothing, however, ' 
to him of my intention, but wrote the next morning j 
to the Committee. of the Assembly, who had the dis- ! 
position of some public money, warmly recommend- j 
ing the case of these officers to their consideration, J 
and proposing that a present should be sent them of ■ 
necessaries and refreshments. My son, who had some 
experience of a camp life, and of its wants, drew up'; 
a list for me, which I inclosed in my letter. The , 
committee approved, and used such diligence, that, ; 
conducted by my son, the stores arrived at the camp i 
as soon as the wagons. They consisted of twenty | 
parcels, each containing — \ 

6 lbs. loaf sugar. 1 keg containing 20 lbs. good 

6 do. Muscovado do. butter. , 

1 do. green tea. 2 dozen old Madeira wine. 

1 do. bohea do. 2 gallons Jamaica spirits. | 

6 do. ground coffee. 1 bottle flour of mustard. i 

6 do. chocolate. 2 well-cured hams. 

i chest best white biscuit, i dozen dried tongues. ; 

-J lb. pepper. 6 lbs. rice. 

1 quart white vinegar. 6 lbs. raisins. 

1 Gloucester cheese. ] 

These parcels, well packed, were placed on as many ; 
horses, each parcel, with the horse, being intended as 
a present for one officer. They were very thankfully j 
received, and the kindness acknowledged by letters to i 
me, from the colonels of both regiments, in the most ' 



BENJABIIN FRANKLIN. 245 

grateful terms. The General, too, was highly satis- 
fied with my conduct in procuring him the wagons, 
and readily paid my account of disbursements; thank- 
ing me repeatedly, and requesting my further assis- 
tance in sending provisions after him. I undertook 
this also, and was busily employed in it till we heard 
of his defeat; advancing for the service, of my own 
money, upwards of one thousand pounds sterling; of 
which I sent him an account. It came to his hands, 
luckily for me, a few days before the battle, and he 
returned me immediately an order on the pay-master 
for the round sum of one thousand pounds, leaving 
the remainder to the next account. I consider this 
payment as good luck, having never been able to ob- 
tain that remainder ; of which more hereafter. 

This general was, I think, a brave man, and might 
probably have made a figure as a good officer in some 
European war. But he had too much self-confidence, 
too high an opinion of the validity of regular troops, 
and too mean a one of both Americans and Indians. 
George Croghan, our Indian interpreter, joined him 
on his march with one hundred of those people, who 
might have been of great use to his army as guides 
and scouts, if he had treated them kindly; but he 
slighted and neglected them, and they gradually left 
him. 

Iii conversation with him one day, he was giving 
me some account of his intended progress. " After 



246 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF \ 

taking Fort Duquesne," said he, " I am to proceed to ; 
Niagara; and, having taken that, to Frontenac, if ; 
the season will allow time, and I suppose it will, for 
Duquesne can hardly detain me above three or four ] 
days; and then I see nothing that can obstruct my ' 
march to Niagara." Having before revolved in my ; 
mind the long line his army must make in their ; 
march by a very narrow road, to be cut for them ] 
through the woods and bushes, and also what I had | 
read of a former defeat of fifteen hundred French who 
invaded the Illinois country, I. had conceived some i 
doubts and some fears for the event of the campaign, j 
But I ventured only to say, " To be sure, sir, if you ; 
arrive well before Duquesne, with these fine troops, j 
so well provided with artillery, the fort, though com- i 
pletely fortified, and assisted with a very strong gar- \ 
rison, can probably make but a short resistance. The i 
only danger I apprehend of obstruction to your march I 
is from the ambuscades of the Indians, who, by con- i 
stant practice, are dexterous in laying and executing ' 
them; and the slender line, near four miles long, ; 
which your army must make, may expose it to be at- : 
tacked by surprise in its flanks, and to be cut like a j 
thread into several pieces, which, from their dis- j 
tance, cannot come up in time to support each other." ; 
He smiled at my ignorance, and replied : " These j 
savages may indeed be a formidable enemy to your - 
raw American militia, but upon the King's regular 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 247 

and disciplined troops, sir, it is impossible they should 
make any impression." I was conscious of an im- 
propriety in my disputing with a military man in 
matters of his profession, and said no more. The 
enemy, however, did not take the advantage of his 
army, which I apprehended its long line of march ex- 
posed it to, but let it advance without interruption 
till within nine miles of the place; and then, when 
more in a body (for it had just passed a river, where 
the front had halted till all were come over), and iu 
a more open part of the woods than any it had passed, 
attacked its advanced guard by a heavy fire from be- 
hind trees and bushes, which was the first intelligence 
the General had of an enemy's being near him. This 
guard being disordered, the General hurried the troops 
up to their assistance, which was done in great confu- 
sion through wagons, baggage, and cattle; and pres- 
ently the fire came upon their flank ; the officers be- 
ing on horseback were more easily distinguished, 
picked out as marks, and fell very fast; and the sol- 
diers were crowded together in a huddle, having or 
hearing no orders, and standing to be shot at till 
two-thirds of them were killed; and then, being 
seized with a panic, the remainder fled with precip- 
itation. 

The wagoners took each a horse out of his team and 
scampered ; their example was immediately followed 
by others; so that all the wagons, provisions, artil- 



248 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

lerj, and stores were left to the enemy. The Gen- 
eral, being wounded, was brought off with difficulty; 
his secretary, Mr. Shirley, was killed by his side, and 
out of eighty-six officers sixty-three were killed or 
wounded, and seven hundred and fourteen men killed 
of eleven hundred. These eleven hundred had been 
pic]:ed men from the whole army, the rest had been 
left behind with Colonel Dunbar, who was to follow 
with the heavier part of the stores, provisions, and 
baggage. The flyers, not being pursued, arrived at 
Dunbar's camp, and the panic they brought with 
them instantly seized him and all his people. And, 
though he had now above one thousand men, and the 
enemy who had beaten Braddock did not at most ex- 
ceed four hundred Indians and French together, in- 
stead of proceeding, and endeavouring to recover 
some of the lost honour, he ordered all the stores, 
ammunition, &c., to be destroyed, that he might 
have more horses to assist his flight towards the set- 
tlements, and less lumber to remove. He was there 
met with requests from the governors of Virginia, 
Maryland, and Pennsylvania, that he would post his 
troops on the frontiers so as to afford some protection 
to the inhabitants; but he continued his hasty march 
through all the country, not thinking himself safe 
till he arrived at Philadelphia, where the inhabitants 
could protect him. This whole transaction gave us 
Americans the first suspicion, that our exalted ideas 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 349 

of t]]e prowess of British regular troops had not been 
well founded.* 

In their first march, too, from their landing till 
they got beyond the settlements, they had plundered 
and stripped the inhabitants, totally ruining some 
' poor families, besides insulting, abusing, and confin- 
ing the people, if they remonstrated. This was 
enough to put us out of conceit of such defenders, if 
we had really wanted any.. How different was the 
conduct of our French friends in 1781, who, during 
a march through the most inhabited part of our coun- 
try, from Rhode Island to Virginia, near seven hun- 
dred miles, occasioned not the smallest complaint for 
the loss of a pig, a chicken, or even an apple. 

Captain Orme, who was one of the General's aides- 
de-camp, and, being grievously wounded, was brought 
off with him, and continued with him to his death, 
which happened in a few days, told me that he was 
totally silent all the first day, and at night only said, 
"Who would have thought it?" That he was silent 
again the following day, saying only at last, "We 
shall better know how to deal with them another 
time;" and died in a few minutes after. 

The secretary's papers,with all the General's orders, 
instructions, and correspondence, falling into the 

* There are some errors in this account of Braddock's 
defeat. A full description of that event may be seen in 
Washington' s Writings, vol. ii., p. 468. 



250 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

enemy's hands, they selected and translated into 
French a number of the articles, which they printed, 
to prove the hostile intentions of the British court 
before the declaration of war. Among these I saw 
some letters of the General to the ministry, speaking 
highly of the great service I had rendered the army, 
and recommending me to their notice. David Hume, 
who was some years afterwards secretary to Lord 
Hertford, when minister in France, and afterwards 
to General Conway, when Secretary of State, told me 
he had seen among the papers in that office letters 
from Braddock, highly recommending me. But the 
expedition having been unfortunate, my service, it 
seems, was not thought of much value, for those 
recommendations were never of any use to me. 

As to rewards from himself, I asked only one, 
which was, that he would give orders to his officers 
not to enlist any more of our bought servants, and 
that he would discharge such as had been already en- 
listed. This he readily granted, and several were 
accordingly returned to their masters, on my appli- 
cation. Dunbar, when the command devolved on 
him, was not so generous. He being at Philadel- 
phia, on his retreat, or rather flight, I applied to him 
for the discharge of the servants of three poor farmers 
of Lancaster County, that he had enlisted, reminding 
him of the late General's orders on that head. He 
promised me that if the masters would come to him 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 251 

at Trenton, where he should be in a few days on his 
march to New York, he would there deliver their 
men to them. They accordingly were at the expense 
and trouble of going to Trenton, and there he refused 
to perform his promise, to their great loss and dis- 
appointment. 

As soon as the loss of the wagons and horses was 
generally known, all the owners came upon me for 
the valuation which I had given bond to pay. Their 
demands gave me a great deal of trouble. I ac- 
quainted them that the money was ready in the pay- 
master's hands, but the order for paying it must first 
be obtained from General Shirley, and that I had 
applied for it, but he being at a distance an answer 
could not soon be received, and they must have 
patience. All this, however, was not sufficient to 
satisfy them, and some began to sue me. General 
Shirley at length relieved me from this terrible situa- 
tion, by appointing commissioners to examine the 
claims, and ordering payment. They amounted to 
near twenty thousand pounds, which to pay would 
have ruined me. 

Before we had the news of this defeat, the two 
Doctors Bond came to me with a subscription paper 
for raising money to defray the expense of a grand 
firework, which it was intended to exhibit at a re- 
joicing on receiving the news of our taking Fort Du- 
quesne. I looked grave, and said it would, I thought, 



252 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

be time enough to prepare the rejoicing when we 
knew we should have occasion to rejoice. They 
seemed surprised that I did not immediately comply 
with their proposal. " Why," said one of them, 
"you surely don't suppose that the fort will not be 
taken?" "I don't know that it will not be taken; 
but I know that the events of war are subject to great 
uncertainty." I gave them the reasons of my doubt- 
ing; the subscription was dropped, and the project- 
ors thereby missed the mortification they would have 
undergone if the firework had been prepared. Dr. 
Bond, on some other occasion afterwards, said that 
he did not like Franklin's forebodings. 



CHAPTER XI. 

DISCOVERIES IN" ELECTRICITY. 

Governor Morris, who had continually worried 
the Assembly with message after message before the 
defeat of Braddock, to beat them into the making of 
acts to raise money for the defence of the province, 
without taxing among others the proprietary estates, 
and had rejected all their bills for not having such 
an exemption clause, now redoubled his attacks with 
more hope of success, the danger and necessity being 
greater. The Assembly, however, continued firm, 
believing they had justice on their side, and that it 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 353 

would be giving up an essential right if they suffered 
the Governor to amend their money bills. In one of 
the last, indeed, which was for granting fifty 
thousand pounds, his proposed amendment was only 
of a single word. The bill expressed, " that all estates 
real and personal were to be taxed ; those of the Pro- 
prietaries not excepted." His amendment was, for 
not read only. A small, but very material alteration. 
However, when the news of the disaster reached Eng- 
land, our friends there, whom we had taken care to 
furnish with all the Assembly's answers to the Gov- 
ernor's message, raised a clamour against the Pro- 
prietaries for their meanness and injustice in giving 
their governor such instructions; some going so far 
as to say, that by obstructing the defence of their 
province, they forfeited their right to it. They were 
intimidated by this, and sent orders to their receiver- 
general to add five thousand pounds of their money 
to whatever sum might be given by the Assembly for 
such purpose. 

This, being testified to the House, was accepted in 
lieu of their share of a general tax; and a new bill 
was formed with an exempting clause, which passed 
accordingly. By this act I was appointed one of the 
commissioners for disposing of the money — sixty 
thousand pounds. I had been active in modelling 
the bill and procuring its passage, and had at the 
same time drawn one for establishing and disciplin- 



254 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ing a voluntary militia; which I carried through the 
House without much difficulty, as care was taken in 
it to leave the Quakers at liberty. To promote the 
association necessary to form the militia, I wrote a 
Dialogue* stating and answering all the objections I 
could think of to such a militia; which was printed, 
.and had, as I thought, great effect. 

While several companies in the city and country 
were forming, and learning their exercise, the Gov- 
ernor prevailed with me to take charge of our north- 
western frontier, which was infested by the enemy, 
and provide for the defence of the inhabitants by 
raising troops and building a line of forts. I un- 
dertook this military business, though I did not con- 
ceive myself well qualified for it. He gave me a 
commission with full powers, and a parcel of blank 
commissions for officers, to be given to whom I 
thought fit. I had but little difficulty in raising 
men, having soon five hundred and sixty under my 
command. My son, who had in the preceding war 
been a,n officer in the army raised against Canada, 
, was my aide-de-camp, and of great use to me. The 
Indians had burned Gnadenhut, a village settled by 
the Moravians, and massacred the inhabitants; but 
the place was thought a good situation for one of the 
forts. 

*This Dialogue is printed in the Gentleinan' s Magazine 
for February and March, 1756. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 255 

In order to march thither, I assembled the com- 
panies at Bethlehem, the chief establishment of 
these people. I was surprised to find it in so good a 
posture of defence; the destruction of Gnadenhut had 
made them apprehend danger. The principal build- 
ings were defended by a stockade; they had pur- 
cliased a quantity of arms and ammunition from New 
York, and had even placed quantities of small paving- 
stones between the windows of their high stone houses, 
for their women to throw down upon the heads of any 
Indians that should attempt to force into them. The 
armed brethren, too, kept watch and relieved each 
other on guard, as methodically as in any garrison 
town. In conversation with the bishop, Spangen- 
berg, I mentioned my surprise; for, knowing they 
had obtained an act of Parliament exempting them 
from military duties in the colonies, I had supposed 
they were conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms. 
He answered me, that it was not one of their estab- 
lished principles; but that, at the time of their ob- 
taining that act, it was thought to be a principle with 
many of their people. On this occasion, however, 
they to their surprise found it adopted by but a few. 
It seems they were either deceived in themselves, or 
deceived the Parliament; but common sense, aided 
by present danger, will sometimes be too strong for 
whimsical opinions. 

It was the beginning of January when we set out 



256 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

upon this business of building forts. I sent one de- 
tachment towards the Minisink, with instructions to 
erect one for the security of that upper part of the 
country ; and another to the lower part, with similar 
instructions; and I concluded to go myself with the 
rest of my force to Gnadenhut, where a fort was 
thought more immediately necessary. The Moravi- 
ans procured me five wagons for our tools, stores, and 
baggage. 

Just before we had left Bethlehem, eleven farmers^ 
who had been driven from their plantations by the 
Indians, came to me requesting a supply of firearms, 
that they might go back and bring off their cattle. 
I gave them each a gun with suitable ammunition. 
We had not marched many miles, before it began to 
rain, and it continued raining all day ; there were no 
habitations on the road to shelter us, till we arrived 
near night at the house of a German, where, and in 
his barn, we were all huddled together, as wet as 
water could make us. It was well we were not at- 
tacked in our march, for our arms were of the most 
ordinary sort, and our men could not keep the locks 
of their guns dry. The Indians are dexterous in con- 
trivances for that purpose, which we had not. They 
met that day the eleven poor farmers above men- 
tioned, and killed ten of them. The one that escaped 
informed us that his and his companions' guns would 
not go off, the priming being wet with the rain. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 257 

The next day being fair, we continued our march, 
and arrived at the desolated Gnadenhut. There was 
a mill near, round which were left several pine boards, 
with which we soon hutted ourselves; an operation 
the more necessary at that inclement season, as we 
had no tents. Our first work was to bury more effec- 
tually the dead we found there, who had been half- 
interred by the country people. 

The next morning our fort was planned and marked 
out, the circumference measuring four hundred and 
fifty-five feet, which would require as many palisades 
to be made, one with another, of a foot diameter 
each. Our axes, of which we had seventy, were im- 
mediately set to work to cut down trees; and, our 
men being dexterous in the use of them, great de- 
spatch was made. Seeing the trees fall so fast, I had 
the curiosity to look at my watch when two men 
began to cut at a pine; in six minutes they had it 
upon the ground, and I found it of fourteen inches 
diameter. Each pine made three palisades of eigh- 
teen feet long, pointed at one end. While these were 
preparing, our other men dug a trench all round, of 
three feet deep, in which the palisades were to be 
planted ; and, the bodies being taken off our wagons, 
and the fore and hind wheels separated, by taking 
out the pin which united the two parts of the perch, 
we had ten carriages, with two horses each, to bring 
the palisades from the woods to the spot. When 
17 



258 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

they were set up, our carpenters built a platform of 
boards all round within, about six feet high, for the 
men to stand on when to fire through the loop-holes. 
We had one swivel-gun, which we mounted on one of 
the angles, and fired it as soon as fixed, to let the In- 
dians know, if any were within hearing, that we had 
such pieces; and thus our fort, if that name may be 
given to so miserable a stockade, was finished in a 
week, though it rained so hard every other day, that 
the men could not work. 

This gave me occasion to observe, that, when men 
are employed, they are best contented; for on the 
days they worked they were good-natured and cheer- 
ful, and, with the consciousness of having done a 
good day's work, they spent the evening jollily; but 
on our idle days they were mutinous and quarrel- 
some, finding fault with the pork, the bread, &c., 
and were continually in bad humour ; which put me 
in mind of a sea captain, whose rule it was to keep 
his men constantly at work ; and when his mate once 
told him, that they had done everything, and there 
was nothing further to employ them about, "Oh!" 
said he, " make them scour the anchor." 

This kind of fort, however contemptible, is a suffi- 
cient defence against Indians, who have no cannon. 
Finding ourselves now posted securely, and having a 
place to retreat to on occasion, we ventured out in 
parties to scour the adjacent country. We met with 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 259 

no Indians, but we found the places on the neigh- 
bouring hills, where they had lain to watch our pro- 
ceedings. There was an art in their contrivance of 
those places, that seems worth mentioning. It being 
winter, a fire was necessary for them ; but a common 
fire on the surface of the ground would by its light 
have discovered their position at a distance. They 
had therefore dug holes in the ground about three 
feet in diameter, and somewhat deeper; we found where 
they had with their hatchets cut off the charcoal from 
the sides of burnt logs lying in the woods. With 
these coals they had made small fires in the bottom of 
the holes, and we observed among the weeds and grass 
the prints of their bodies, made by their lying all 
round with their legs hanging down in the holes to 
keep their feet Avarm ; which with them is an essen- 
tial point. This kind of fire so managed could not 
discover them either by its light, flame, sparks, or 
even smoke; it appeared that the number was not 
great, and it seems they saw we were too many to be 
attacked by them with prospect of advantage. 

We had for our chaplain a zealous Presbyterian 
minister, Mr. Beatty, who complained to me that the 
men did not generally attend his prayers and exhorta- 
tions. When they enlisted they were promised, be- 
sides pay and provisions, a gill of rum a day, which 
was punctually served out to them, half in the morn- 
ing and the other half in the evening, and I observed 



260 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

they were punctual in attending to receive it ; upon 
which I said to Mr. Beatty, " It is perhaps below the 
dignity of your profession to act as steward of the 
rum, hut if you were only to distribute it out after 
prayers you would have them all about you." He 
liked the thought, undertook the task, and, with the 
help of a few hands to measure out the liquor, exe- 
cuted it to satisfaction, and never were prayers more 
generally and more punctually attended. So that I 
think this method preferable to the punishment in- 
flicted by some military laws for non-attendance on 
divine service. 

I had hardly finished this business and got my 
fort well stored with provisions when I received a 
letter from the Governor, acquainting me that he had 
called the Assembly, and wished my attendance there 
if the posture of affairs on the frontiers was such that 
my remaining there was no longer necessary. My 
friends, too, of the Assembly pressing me by their 
letters to be, if possible, at the meeting, and my 
three intended forts being now completed and the 
inhabitants contented to remain on their farms under 
that protection, I resolved to return; the more will- 
ingly as a New England officer. Colonel Clapham, 
experienced in Indian war, being on a visit to our 
establishment, consented to accept the command. I 
gave him a commission, and, parading the garrison, 
had it read before them, and introduced him to them 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 361 

as an officer who, from his skill in military affairs, 
was much more fit to command them than myself, 
and giving them a little exhortation, took my leave. 
I was escorted as far as Bethlehem, where I rested a 
few days to recover from the fatigue I had undergone. 
The first night, lying in a good bed, I could hardly 
sleej), it was so diiferent from my hard lodging on 
the floor of a hut at Gnadenhut with only a blanket 
or two. 

While at Bethlehem, I inquired a little into the 
practices of the Moravians; some of them had accom- 
panied me, and all were very kind to me. I found 
they worked for a common stock, ate at common 
tables, and slept in common dormitories, great num- 
bers together. In the dormitories I observed loop- 
holes, at certain distances all along just under the 
ceiling, which I thought judiciously placed for change 
of air. I went to their church, where I was enter- 
tained with good music, the organ being accompanied 
with violins, hautboys, flutes, clarinets, &c. I un- 
derstood their sermons were not usually preached 
to mixed congregations of men, women, and children, 
as in our common practice; but that they assembled 
sometimes the married men, at other times their 
wives, then the young men, the young women, and 
the little children; each division by itself. The ser- 
mon I heard was to the latter, who came in, and were 
placed in rows on benches; the boys under the con- 



262 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

duct of a young man, their tutor, and the girls con- 
ducted by a young woman. The discourse seemed 
well adapted to their capacities, and was delivered in 
a pleasing, familiar manner, coaxing them, as it were, 
to be good. They behaved very orderly, but looked 
pale and unhealthy; which made me suspect they 
were kept too much within doors or not allowed 
sufficient exercise. 

I inquired concerning the Moravian marriages, 
whether the report was true that they were by lot. I 
was told that lots were used only in particular cases; 
that generally when a young man found himself dis- 
posed to marry, he informed the elders of his class, 
who consulted the elder ladies that governed the 
young women. As these elders of the diiferent sexes 
were well acquainted with the tempers and disposi- 
tions of their respective pupils, they could best judge 
what matches were suitable, and their judgments were 
generally acquiesced in. But if, for example, it 
should happen that two or three young women were 
found to be equally proper for the young man, the 
lot was then recurred to. I objected, if the matches 
are not made by the mutual choice of the parties, 
some of them may chance to be very unhappy. " And 
so they may," answered my informer, "if you let the 
parties choose for themselves." Which Indeed I 
could not deny. 

Being returned to Philadelphia, I found the Asso- 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 263 

elation went on with great success. The inhabitants, 
that were not Quakers, having pretty generally come 
into it, formed themselves into companies, and chose 
their captains, lieutenants, and ensigns, according to 
the new law. Dr. Bond visited me, and gave me an 
account of the pains he had taken to spread a general 
good liking to the law, and ascribed much to those 
endeavours. I had the vanity to ascribe all to my 
Dialogue; however, not knowing but that he might 
be in the right, I let him enjoy his opinion; which 
I take to be generally the best way in such cases. 
The officers, meeting, chose me to be colonel of the 
regiment, which I this time accepted. I forget how 
many companies we had, but we paraded aboat twelve 
hundred well-looking men, with a compauy of artil- 
lery, who had been furnished with six brass field- 
pieces, which they had become so expert in the use 
of, as to fire tvv^elve times in a minute. The first time 
I reviewed my regiment they accompanied me to my 
house, and would sahite me with some rounds fired 
before my door, which shook down and broke several 
glasses of my electrical apparatus. And my new 
honour proved not much less brittle; for all our com- 
missions were soon after broken, by a repeal of the 
law in England. 

During this short time of my colonelship, being 
about to set out on a journey to Virginia, the officers 
of my regiment took it into their heads, that it would 



264 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

be proper for them to escort me out of town, as far as 
the Lower Ferry. Just as I was getting on horse- 
back they came to my door, between thirty and forty, 
mounted, and all in their uniforms. I had not 
been previously acquainted with their project, or I 
should have prevented it, being naturally averse to 
the assuming of state on any occasion ; and I was a 
good deal chagrined at their appearance, as I could 
not avoid their accompanying me. What made it 
worse was, that, as soon as we began to move, they 
drew their swords and rode with them naked all the 
way. Somebody wrote an account of this to the Pro- 
prietor, and it gave him great offence. No such 
honour had been paid to him, when in the province; 
nor to any of his governors; and he said, it Avas only 
proper to princes of the blood royal; which may be 
true for aught I know, who was, and still am, igno- 
rant of the etiquette in such cases. 

This silly affair, however, greatly increased his 
rancour against me, which was before considerable on 
account of my conduct in the Assembly respecting 
the exemption of his estate from taxation, which I 
had always opposed very warmly, and not without 
severe reflections on the meanness and injustice of 
contending for it. He accused me to the ministry, 
as being the great obstacle to the king's service, pre- 
venting by my influence in the House the proper 
form of the bills for raising money; and he instanced 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 265 

the parade with my officers, as a proof of my having 
an intention to take the government of the province 
out of his hands by force. He also applied to 
Sir Everard Fawkener, the postmaster-general, to de- 
prive me of my office. But it had no other effect 
than to procure from Sir Everard a gentle admoni- 
tioQ. 

Kotwithstanding the continual wrangle between 
the Governor and the House, in which I as a mem- 
ber had so large a share, there still subsisted a civil 
intercourse between that gentleman and myself, and 
we never had any personal difference. I have some- 
times since thought, that his little or no resentment 
against me, for the answers it was known I drew up 
to his messages, might be the effect of professional 
habit, and that, being bred a lawyer, he might con- 
sider us both as merely advocates for contending 
clients in a suit; he for the Proprietaries, and I 
for the Assembly. He would therefore sometimes 
call in a friendly way to advise with me on difficult 
points; and sometimes, though not often, take my 
advice. 

We acted in concert to supply Braddock's army 
with provisions; and, when the shocking news ar- 
rived of his defeat, the Governor sent in haste for 
me, to consult with him on measures for preventing 
the desertion of the back counties. I forget now the 
advice 1 gave; but I think it was, that Dunbar should 



2e6 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

be written to, and prevailed with, if possible, to post 
his troops on the frontiers for their protection, until, 
by reinforcements from the colonies, he might be able 
to proceed in the expedition. And, after my return 
from the frontier, he would have had me undertake 
the conduct of such an expedition with provincial 
troops, for the reduction of Fort Duquesne, Dunbar 
and his men being otherwise employed ; and he pro- 
posed to commission me as general. I had not so 
good an opinion of my military abilities as he pro- 
fessed to have, and I believe his professions must have 
exceeded his real sentiments; but probably he might 
think, that my popularity would facilitate the busi- 
ness with the men, and influence in the Assembly the 
grant of money to pay for it; and that perhaps with- 
out taxing the Proprietary. Finding me not so 
forward to engage as he expected, the project was 
dropped; and he soon after left the government, 
being superseded by Captain Denny. 

Before I proceed in relating the part I had in pub- 
lic affairs under this new Governor's administration, 
it may not be amiss to give here some account of the 
rise and progress of my philosophical reputation. 

In 1746, being in Boston, I met there with a Dr. 
Spence, who was lately arrived from Scotland, and 
showed me some electric experiments. They were 
imperfectly performed, as he was not very expert; 
but, being on a subject quite new to me, they equally 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 267 

surprised and pleased me. Soon after my return to 
Philadelphia, our library company received from Mr. 
Peter Collinson, Fellow of the Royal Society of Lon- 
don, a present of a glass tube, with some account of 
the use of it in making such experiments. I eagerly 
seized the opportunity of repeating what I had seen 
at Boston; and, by much practice, acquired great 
readiness in performing those also which we had an 
account of from England, adding a number of new 
ones. I say much practice, for my house was con- 
tinually full, for some time, with persons who came 
to see these new wonders. 

To divide a little this encumbrance among my 
friends, I caused a number of similar tubes to be 
blown in our glass-house, with which they furnished 
themselves, so that we had at length several perform- 
ers. Among these the principal was Mr. Kinnersley, 
an ingenious neighbour, who being out of business, I 
encouraged him to undertake showing the experi- 
ments for money, and drew up for him two lectures, 
in which the experiments were ranged in such order, 
and accompanied with explanations in such method, 
as that the foregoing should assist in comprehending 
the following. He procured an elegant apparatus for 
the purpose, in which all the little machines that I 
had roughly made for myself were neatly formed by 
instrument makers. His lectures were well attended, 
and gave great satisfaction; and after some time he 



268 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

went through the colonies, exhibiting them in every 
capital town, and picked up some money. In the 
West India Islands, indeed, it was with difficulty the 
experiments could be made, from the general moisture 
of the air. 

Obliged as we were to Mr. Collinson for the present 
of the tube, &c. , I thought it right he should be 
informed of our success in using it, and wrote him 
several letters containing accounts of our experiments. 
He got them read in the Eoyal Society, where they 
were not at first thought worth so much notice as to 
be printed in their Transactions. One paper, which 
I wrote for Mr. Kinnersley on the sameness of light- 
ning with electricity, I sent to Dr. Mitchel, an ac- 
quaintance of mine, and one of the members also of 
that society, who wrote me word that it had been 
read, but was laughed at by the connoisseurs. The 
papers, however, being shown to Dr. Fothergill, he 
thought them of too much value to be stifled, and 
advised the printing of them. Mr. Collinson then 
gave them to Cave for publication in his Gentleman^ s 
Magazine; but he chose to print them separately in a 
pamphlet, and Dr. Foththergill wrote the preface. 
Cave, it seems, judged rightly for his profession, for 
by tlie additions that arrived afterwards they swelled 
to a quarto volume, which has had five editions, and 
cost him nothing for copy-money. 

It was, however, some time before those papers 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 269 

were much taken notice of in England. A copy of 
them happening to fall into the hands of the Count 
de BuSon, a philosopher, deservedly of great reputa- 
tion in France, and indeed all over Europe, he pre- 
vailed with M. Dalibard to translate them into 
French; and they were printed at Paris. The pub- 
lication offended the Abbe Nollet, preceptor in Natu- 
ral Philosophy to the Eoyal Family, and an able 
experimenter, who had formed and published a 
theory of electricity, which then had the general 
vogue. He could not at first believe that such a 
work came from America, and said it must have been 
fabricated by his enemies at Paris to oppose his sys- 
tem. Afterwards, having been assured that there 
really existed such a person as Franklin at Phila- 
delphia, which he had doubted, he wrote and pub- 
lished a volume of Letters, chiefly addressed to me, 
defending his theory, and denying the verity of 
my experiments, and of the positions deduced from 
them. 

I once purposed answering the Abbe, and actually 
began the answer; but, on consideration that my 
writings contained a description of experiments, 
which any one might repeat and verify, and, if not 
to be verified, could not be defended; or of observa- 
tions offered as conjectures, and not delivered dog- 
matically, therefore not laying me under any 
obligation to defend them; and reflecting, that a 



370 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

dispute between two persons, written in different 
languages, might be lengthened greatly by mistrans- 
lations, and thence misconceptions of one another's 
meaning, much of one of the Abbe's letters being 
founded on an error in the translation, I concluded 
to let my papers shift for themselves; believing it 
was better to spend what time I could spare from 
public business in making new experiments, than in 
disputing about those already made. I therefore 
never answered M. Nollet; and the event gave me no 
-cause to repent my silence; for my friend M. Le Eoy, 
of the Koyal Academy of Sciences, took up my cause 
and refuted him ; my book was translated into the 
Italian, German, and Latin languages; and the doc- 
trine it contained was by degrees generally adopted by 
the philosophers of Europe, in preference to that of 
the Abbe; so that he lived to see himself the last of 

his sect, except Monsieur B , of Paris, his Sieve 

and immediate disciple. 

What gave my book the more sudden and general 
celebrity, was the success of one of its proposed ex- 
periments, made by Messieurs Dalibard and Delor at 
Marley, for drawing lightning from the clouds. This 
engaged the public attention everywhere. M. Delor, 
who had an apparatus for experimental philosophy, 
and lectured in that branch of science, undertook to 
repeat what he called the Fhiladeljjhia Experiments: 
and, after they were performed before the King and 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 271 

court, all the curious of Paris flocked to see them. I 
will not swell this narrative with an account of that 
capital experiment, nor of the infinite pleasure I re- 
ceived in the success of a similar one I made soon 
after with a kite at Philadelphia, as both are to be 
found in the histories of electricity. 

Dr. Wright, an English physician, when at Paris, 
wrote to a friend, who was of the Royal Society, an 
account of the high esteem my experiments were in 
amoug the learned abroad, and of their wonder that 
my writings had been so little noticed in Eugland. 
The Society on this resumed the consideration of the 
letters that had been read to them; and the cele- 
brated Dr. Watson drew up a summary account of 
them, and of all I had afterwards sent to England on 
the subject; which he accompanied with some praise 
of the writer. This summary was then printed in 
their Transactions; and, some members of the Society 
in London, particularly the very ingenious Mr. Can- 
ton, having verified the experiment of procuring 
lightning from the clouds by pointed rod, and ac- 
quainted them with the success, they soon made me 
more than amends for the slight with which they had 
before treated me. Without my having made any 
application for that honour, they chose me a mem- 
ber; and voted, that I should be excused the cus- 
tomary payments, which would have amounted to 
twenty-five guineas; and ever since have given me 



273 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

their Transactions gratis.* They also presented me 
with the gold medal of Sir Godfrey Copley, for the 

* Dr. FraDklin gives a further account of his election, in 
a letter to bis son, Governor Franklin, from which the fol- 
lowing is an extract : — 

"London, 19th December, 1767. 

"We have had an ugly affair at the Royal Society lately. 
One Dacosta, a Jew, who, as our clerk, was intrusted with 
collecting our moneys, has been so unfaithful as to em- 
bezzle near thirteen hundred pounds in four years. Being 
one of the Council this year, as well as the last, I have been 
employed all the last week in attending the inquiry into, 
and unravelling, his accounts, in order to come at a full 
knowledge of his frauds. His securities are bound in one 
thousand pounds to the Society, which they will pay, but 
we sliall probably lose the rest. He had this year received 
twenty-six admission payments of twenty-five guineas 
each, which he did not bring to account. 

"While attending to this affair, I had an opportunity of 
looking over the old council-books and journals of the So- 
ciety, and, having a curiosity to see how I came in, of 
which I had never been informed, I looked back for the 
minutes relating to it. You must know, it is not usual to 
admit persons that have not requested to be admitted ; and 
a recommendatory certificate in favour of the candidate, 
signed by at least three of the members, is by our rule to be 
presented to the Society, expressing that he is desirous of 
that honour, and is so and so qualified. As I never had 
asked, or expected the honour, I was, as I said before, 
curious to see how the business was managed. I found 
that the certificate, worded very advantageously for me, 
was signed by Lord Macclesfield, then President, Lord 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 373 

year 1753, the delivery of which was accompanied by 
a very handsome speech of the president, Lord Mac- 
clesfield, wherein I was highly honoured. 



CHAPTER XII. 

SENT ON A MISSION TO ENGLAND. 

Our new governor. Captain Denny, brought over 
for me the before-mentioned medal from the Eoyal 
Society, which he presented to me at an entertain- 
ment given him by the city. He accompanied it 
with very polite expressions of his esteem for me, 
having, as he said, been long acquainted with my 
character. After dinner he took me aside into an- 
other room, and acquainted me, that he had been 
advised by his friends in England to cultivate a 
friendship with me, as one who was capable of giving 

Parker, and Lord Willoughby ; that the election was by a 
unanimous vote ; and, the honour being voluntarily con- 
ferred by the Society, unsolicited by me, it was thought 
wrong to demand or receive the usual fees or composition ; 
so that my name was entered on the list with a vote of 
Council, that I was not to pay anything. And accordingly 
nothing has ever been demanded of me. Those who are 
admitted in the common way, pay five guineas admission 
fees, and two guineas and a half yearly contributions, or 
twenty-five guineas down, in lieu of it. In my case a sub- 
stantial favour accompanied the honour." 
18 



374 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

him the best advice, and of contributing most effec- 
tually to the making his administration easy. That 
he therefore desii'ed of all things to have a good 
understanding with me, and he begged me to be as- 
sured of his readiness on all occasions to render me 
every service that might be in his power. He said 
much to me also of the Proprietor's good disposition 
towards the province, and of the advantage it would 
be to us all, and to me in particular, if the opposition 
that had been so long continued to his measures was 
dropped, and harmony restored between him and the 
people; in effecting which it was thought no one 
could be more serviceable than myself; and I might 
depend on adequate acknowledgments and recom- 
penses. 

My answers were to this purpose: that my circum- 
stances, thanks to God, were such as to make Pro- 
prietary favours unnecessary to me; and that, being 
a member of the Assembly, I could not possibly accept 
of any; that, however, I had no personal enmity to 
the Proprietary, and that, whenever the public meas- 
ures he proposed should appear to be for the good of 
the people, no one would espouse and forward them 
more zealously than myself; my past opposition hav- 
ing been founded on this, that the measures which 
had been urged were evidently intended to serve the 
Proprietary interest, with great prejudice to that of 
the people. That I was much obliged to him (the 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 275 

Governor) for his profession of regard to me, and that 
he might rely on everything in my power to render 
his administration as easy to him as possible, hoping, 
at the same time, that he had not brought with him 
the same unfortunate instructions his predecessors 
had been hampered with. 

On this he did not then explain himself; but when 
he afterwards came to do business with the Assembly, 
they appeared again, the disputes were renewed, and 
I was as active as ever in the opposition, being the 
penman, first of the request to have a communication 
of the instructions, and then of the remarks upon 
them, which may be found in the Votes of the time, 
and in the Historical Beview I afterwards published. 
But between us personally no enmity arose; we were 
often together; he was a man of letters, had seen 
much of the world, and was entertaining and pleasing 
in conversation. He gave me information, that my 
old friend Ralph was still alive; that he was esteemed 
one of the best political writers in England ; had been 
employed in the dispute between Prince Frederick 
and the King, and had obtained a pension of three 
hundred pounds a year; that his reputation was in- 
deed small as a poet. Pope having ridiculed his poetry 
in the Dunciad, but his prose was thought as good as 
any man's. 

The Assembly finally finding the Proprietary ob- 
stinately persisted in shackling the deputies with 



276 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

instructions inconsistent not only with the privileges 
of the 2:)eople, but with the service of the crown, re- 
solved to petition the King against them, and 
appointed me their agent to go over to England to 
present and support the petition. The House had 
sent up a bill to the Governor, granting a sum of 
sixty thousand pounds for the King's use (ten thou- 
sand pounds of which was subjected to the orders of 
the then General, Lord Loudoun), which the Gov- 
ernor, in compliance with his instructions, absolutely 
refused to pass. 

I had agreed with Captain Morris, of the packet at 
New York, for my passage, and my stores were put 
on board ; when Lord Loudoun arrived at Philadel- 
phia, expressly, as he told me, to endeavour an 
accommodation between the Governor and Assembly, 
that His Majesty's service might not be obstructed 
by their dissensions. Accordingly he desired the 
Governor and myself to meet him, that he might 
hear what was to be said on both sides. We met and 
discussed the business. Li behalf of the Assembly, 
I urged the various arguments, that may be found in 
the public papers of that time, which were of my 
writing, and are printed with the minutes of the 
Assembly ; and the Governor pleaded his instructions, 
the bond he had given to observe them, and his ruin 
if he disobeyed ; yet seemed not unwilling to hazard 
himself, if Lord Loudoun would advise it. This his 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 277 

lordship did not choose to do, though I once thought 
I had nearly prevailed with him to do it; but finally 
he rather chose to urge the compliance of the Assem- 
bly; aad he entreated me to use my endeavours with 
them for that purpose, declaring that he would spare 
none of the King's troops for the defence of our 
frontiers, and that, if we did not continue to provide 
for that defence ourselves, they must remain exposed 
to the enemy. 

I acquainted the House with what had passed, 
and — presenting them with a set of resolutions I had 
drawn up, declaring our rights, that we did not re- 
linquish our claim to those rights, but only suspended 
the exercise of them on this occasion through force, 
against which we protested — they at length agreed to 
drop that bill, and frame another conformable to the 
Proprietary instructions. This of course the Governor 
passed, and I was then at liberty to proceed on my 
voyage. But in the meantime the packet had sailed 
with my sea-stores, which was some loss to me, and 
my only recompense was his lordship's thanks for my 
service; all the credit of obtaining the accommoda- 
tion falling to his share. 

He set out for New York before me; and, as the 
time for despatching the packet-boats was at his dis- 
position, and there were two then remaining there, 
one of which, he said, was to sail very soon, I re- 
quested to know the precise time, that I might not 



278 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

miss her by any delay of mine. The answer was: 
" I have given out that she is to sail on Saturday 
next, but I may let you know, eiiti^e nous, that if you 
are there by Monday morning you will be in time, 
but do not delay longer." By some accidental hin- 
drance at a ferry, it was Monday noon before I arrived, 
and I was much afraid she might have sailed, as the 
wind was fair; but I was soon made easy by the in- 
formation that she was still in the harbour, and 
would not move till the next day. One would im- 
agine that I was now on the very point of departing 
for Europe. I thought so; but I was not then so 
well acquainted with his lordship's character, of 
which indecision was one of the strongest features. I 
shall give some instances. It was about the begin- 
ning of April that I came to New York, and I think 
it was near the end of June before we sailed. There 
were then two of the packet-boats, which had been 
long in readiness, but were detained for the General's 
letters, which were always to be ready to-moiTOiu. 
Another packet arrived; she too was detained ; and, 
before we sailed, a fourth was jexpected. Ours was 
the first to be despatched, as having been there long- 
est. Passengers were engaged for all, and some ex- 
tremely impatient to be gone, and the merchants 
uneasy about their letters, and the orders they had 
given for insurance (it being war time), and for au- 
tumnal goods; but their anxiety availed nothing; his 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 379 

lordship's letters were not ready; and yet who ever 
waited on him found him always at his desk, pen in 
hand, and concluded he must needs write abun- 
dantly. 

Going myself one morning to pay my respects, I 
found in his antechamber one Innis, a messenger of 
Philadelphia, who had come thence express, with a 
packet from Governor Denny, for the General. He 
delivered to me some letters from my friends there, 
which occasioned my inquiring when he was to re- 
turn, and where he lodged, that I might send some 
letters by him. He told me he was ordered to call 
to-morrow at nine for the General's answer to the 
Governor, and should set off immediately. I put my 
letters into his hands the same day. A fortnight 
after I met him again in the same place, *' So, you 
are soon returned, Innis?" "Returned! no, I am 
not gone yet." " How so?" " I have called here this 
and every morning these two weeks past for his lord- 
ship's letters, and they are not yet ready." "Is it 
possible, when he is so great a writer, for I see him 
constantly at his escritoire?" "Yes," said Innis, 
"but he is like St. George on the signs, always on 
horseback, and never rides on." This observation of 
the messenger was, it seems, well founded; for, when 
in England, I understood that Mr. Pitt, afterwards 
Lord Chatham, gave it as one reason for removing 
this general, and sending Generals Amherst and 



280 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Wolfe, that tlie minister never heard from him, and 
could not know ivhat he ivas doing. 

In this daily expectation of sailing, and all the 
three packets going down to Sandy Hook, to join the 
fleet there, the passengers thought it best to be on 
board, lest by a sudden order the ships should sail, 
and they be left behind. There, if I remember, we 
were about six weeks, consuming our sea-stores, and 
obliged to procure more. At length the fleet sailed, 
the General and all his army on board, bound to 
Louisbourg, with intent to besiege and take that for- 
tress; and all the packet-boats in company were 
ordered to attend the General's ship, ready to re- 
ceive his despatches when they should be ready. We 
were out five days before we got a letter with leave to 
part, and then our ship quitted the fleet and steered 
for England. The other two packets he still detained, 
carried them with him to Halifax, where he stayed 
some time to exercise the men in sham attacks upon 
sham forts, then altered his mind as to besieging 
Louisbourg and returned to New York with all his 
troops, together with the two packets above men- 
tioned, and all their passengers! During his ab- 
sence the French and savages had taken Fort 
George on the frontier of that province, and the 
Indians had massacred many of the garrison after 
capitulation. 

On- the whole, I wondered much how such a man 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 281 

came to be intrusted with so important a business as 
the conduct of a great army ; but, having since seen 
more of the great world, and the means of obtaining, 
and motives for giving, places and employments, my 
wonder is diminished. General Shirley, on whom 
the command of the army devolved upon the death 
of Braddock, would, in my opinion, if continued in 
place, have made a much better campaign than that 
of Loudoun in 1756, which was frivolous, expensive, 
and disgraceful to our nation beyond conception. 
For though Shirley was not bred a soldier, he was 
sensible and sagacious in himself, and attentive to 
good advice from others capable of forming judicious 
plans, and quick and active in carrying them into 
execution. Loudoun, instead of defending the colo- 
nies with his great army, left them totally exposed, 
while he paraded idly at Halifax, by which means 
Fort George was lost; besides, he deranged all our 
mercantile operations, and distressed our trade, by a 
long embargo on the exportation of provisions, on 
pretence of keeping supplies from being obtained by 
the enemy, but in reality for beating down their price 
in favour of the contractors, in whose profits it was 
said, perhaps from suspicion only, he had a share; 
and, when at length the embargo was taken off, neg- 
lecting to send notice of it to Charleston, where the 
Carolina fleet was detained near three months, and 
whereby their bottoms were so much damaged by the 



282 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

worm, that a great part of them foundered in their 
passage home. 

Shirley was, I believe, sincerely glad of being re- 
lieved from so burdensome a charge, as the conduct 
of an army must be to a man unacquainted with mil- 
itary business. I was at the entertainment given by 
the city of New York to Lord Loudoun, on his tak- 
ing upon him the command. Shirley, though thereby 
susperseded, was present also. There was a great 
company of officers, citizens, and strangers, and, 
some chairs having been borrowed in the neighbour- 
hood, there was one among them very low, which 
fell to the lot of Mr. Shirley. I sat by him, and 
perceiving it, I said, " They have given you a very 
low seat." "No matter, Mr. Franklin," said he, "I 
find a loiu seat the easiest." 

While I was, as before mentioned, detained at New 
York, I received all the accounts of the provisions, 
&c., that I had furnished to Braddock, some of which 
accounts could not sooner be obtained from the differ- 
ent persons I had employed to assist in the business. 
I presented them to Lord Loudoun, desiring to be 
paid the balance. He caused them to be examined 
by the proper officer, who, after comparing every 
article with its voucher, certified them to be right; 
and his lordship promised to give me an order on the 
paymaster for the balance due to me. This was, 
however, put off from time to time; and, though I 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 283 

called often for it by appointment, I did not get it. 
At length, just before my departure, he told me he 
had, on better consideration, concluded not to mix 
his accounts with those of his predecessors. " And 
you," said he, "when in England, have only to ex- 
hibit your accounts to the Treasury, and you will 
be paid immediately." 

I mentioned, but without effect, a great and un- 
expected expense I had been put to by being detained 
so long at New York, as a reason for my desiring to 
be presently paid ; and, on my observing that it was 
not right that I should be put to any further trouble 
or delay in obtaining the money I had advanced, as I 
charged no commission for my service, "Oh," said 
he, "you must not think of persuading us that you 
are no gainer; we understand better those matters, 
and know, that every one concerned in supplying the 
army finds means, in the doing it, to fill his own 
pockets." I assured him that was not my case, and 
that I had not pocketed a farthing; but he appeared 
clearly not to believe me; and indeed I afterwards 
learned, that immense fortunes are often made in 
such employments. As to my balance, I am not 
paid it to this day; of which more hereafter. 

Our captain of the packet boasted much, before we 
sailed, of the swiftness of his ship; unfortunately, 
when we came to sea, she proved the dullest of ninety- 
six sail, to his no small mortification. After many 



284 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

conjectures respecting the cause, when we were near 
another ship almost as dull as ours, which, however, 
gained upon us, the captain ordered all hands to come 
aft and stand as near the ensign staff as possible. We 
were, passengers included, about forty persons. While 
we stood there, the ship mended her pace, and soon 
left her neighbour far behind, which proved clearly 
what our captain suspected, that she was loaded too i 
much by the head. The casks of water, it seems, had > 
been all placed forward; these he therefore ordered ' 
to be moved further aft, on which the ship recovered : 
her character, and proved the best sailer in the fleet. : 
The foregoing fact I give for the sake of the fol- ' 
lowing observation. It has been remarked, as an 
imperfection in tlie art of shipbuilding, that it can i 
never be known till she is tried, whether a new ship ! 
will, or will not, be a good sailer; for that the model ; 
of a good-sailing ship has been exactly followed in a i 
new one, which has been proved on the contrary re- \ 
markably dull. I apprehend, that this may partly \ 
be occasioned by the different opinions of seamen re- ' 
specting the modes of loading, rigging, and sailing of : 
a ship; each has his method, and the same vessel, , 
laden by the method and orders of one captain, shall \\ 
sail worse than when by the orders of another. Be- ; 
sides, it scarce ever happens, that a ship is formed, i 
fitted for the sea, and sailed by the same person. 
One man builds the hull, another rigs her, a third i 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 285 

loads and sails her. No one of these has the advan- 
tage of knowing all the ideas and experience of the 
others, and, therefore, cannot draw just conclusions 
from a combination of the whole. 

Even in the simple operation of sailing when at 
sea, I have often observed different judgments in the 
officers who commanded the successive watches, the 
wind being the same. One would have the sails 
trimmed sharper or flatter than another, so that they 
seemed to have no certain rule to govern by. Yet I 
think a set of experiments might be instituted, first, 
to determine the most proper form of the hull for 
swift sailing; next, the best dimensions and most 
proper place for the masts; then the form and quan- 
tity of sails, and their position, as the wind may be; 
and lastly, the disposition of the lading. This is an 
age of experiments, and I think a set accurately 
made and combined would be of great use. 

We were several times chased in our passage, but 
outsailed everything; and in thirty days had sound- 
ings. We had a good observation, and the captain 
judged himself so near our port, Falmouth, that, if 
we made a good run in the night, we might be off the 
mouth of that harbour in the morning; and by run- 
ning in the night might escape the notice of the 
enemy's privateers, who often cruised near the en- 
trance of the Channel. Accordingly all the sail was 
set that we could possibly carry, and the wind being 



286 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

very fresh and fair, we stood right before it, and 
made great way. The captain, after his observation, 
shaped his course, as he thought, so as to pass wide 
of the Scilly Isles; but it seems there is sometimes a 
strong current setting up St. George's Channel, 
which deceives seamen and caused the loss of Sir 
Oloudesley Shovel's squadron in 1707. This was 
probably also the cause of what happened to us. 

We had a watchman placed in the bow, to whom 
they often called, '''Look to ell oiit before there;" and 
he answered, '' Ay^ ciy''^ but perhaps had his eyes 
shut, and was half asleep at the time; they sometimes 
answering, as is said, mechanically; for he did not 
see a light just before us, which had been hid by the 
studding-sails from the man at the helm, and from 
the rest of the watch, but by an accidental yaw of 
the ship was discovered, and occasioned a great 
alarm, we being very near it: the light appearing to 
me as large as a cartwheel. It was midnight, and 
our captain fast asleep; but Captain Kennedy, jump- 
ing upon deck, and seeing the danger, ordered the 
ship to wear round, all sails standing; an operation 
dangerous to the masts, but it carried us clear, and 
we avoided shipwreck, for we were running fast on 
the rocks, on which the light was erected. This 
deliverance impressed me strongly with the utility of 
lighthouses, and made me resolve to encourage the 
huilding more of them in America if I should live to 
return thither. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 287 

In the morniug it was found by the soundings that 
we were near our port, but a thick fog hid the land 
from our sight. About niue o'clock the fog began to 
rise, and seemed to be lifted up from the water like 
the curtain of a theatre, discovering underneath the 
town of Falmouth, the vessels in the harbour, and 
the tields that surround it. This was a pleasing spec- 
tacle to those who had been long without any other 
prospect than the uniform view of a vacant ocean, 
and it gave us the more pleasure, as v/e were now free 
from the anxieties which had arisen,* 

I set out immediately with my son for London, and 
we only stopped a little by the way to view Stonehenge 
on Salisbury Plain, and Lord Pembroke's house and 
gardens, with the very curious antiquities, at Wilton. 
We arrived in London, the 27th of July, 1757.t 

*In a letter from Dr. Franklin to his wife, dated at 
Falmouth, the 17th of July, 1757, after giving her a similar 
account of his voyage, escape, and landing, he adds : "The 
bell ringing for church, we went thither immediately, 
and, witli hearts full of gratitude, returned sincere thanks 
to God for the mercies we had received. Were I a Roman 
Catholic, perhaps I should on this occasion vow to build a 
chapel to some saint ; but as I am not, if I were to vow at 
all, it should be to build a lighthouse.''^ 

t Here close Dr. Franklin's Memoirs, as written by him- 
self. From several passages in his letters it would seem 
that it was his intention to continue them further, and 
perhaps to the end of his life ; but public business for some 
tinie, and afterwards his declining health, prevented him 
from executing his purpose. 



